price of Christmas

maman

I'm not a Scrooge but I really hate the obsession with buying 'stuff'.


We agreed a couple of years ago (initiated by DD1 who hates 'stuff' even more than I do) that we'd stop doing gifts for adults. DD2, who is a shopaholic, was a bit disappointed but she still has her in-laws and friends to buy for so she accepted it.


More recently we've agreed the same with adult friends.


So just the grandchildren get presents and some money to a few nieces and nephews. DD's have generous birthday presents. I also like to buy small 'saw this and though of you' gifts for friends and family during the year.


We have a few traditional extra foods (like Stollen, mince pies, Christmas pudding and M&S Viennese biscuits) but after that I don't mind buying anything that will keep/freeze.


I think it's far more difficult when you have young children especially those of an age when they are susceptible to advertising and want what they see their friends have.


I'd say the answer to your question is you should spend what you can afford. Definitely don't get into debt for it.

Islandmaid

We buy for our 3 kids, but they are 22,20 and 18, so a few smellies and some cash is the gift most appreciated. And a small gift for MIL.

We buy each other something, but that's usually just a token gift.

I have 2 nieces, which I never see, so rather than guessing a gift and then getting no thanks, I have decided to ask for their savings account details and put some money in there for Christmas and Birthdays each year.

I,m a misery at work and turn down secret santas and work meals out, that's £20 plus saved which I could spend on something I actually want

We splash out of maybe a few treats and a couple of bottles of booze, but long gone are the 'cram the trolley with £500 of food and drink, then wonder why your skint' days - the only way OS now

Hard_Up_Hester

For the first time in 40 years I won't be cooking Christmas dinner, so I'm really not sure how it will pan out this year, not even sure where we will be living so it's a case of wait and see.

GreyQueen

We haven't any young children in the family and I think it's they who get the most unbridled joy out of Christmas.

We just treat it as a roast dinner with some extra trimmings and chance to hang out together and enjoy each others' company.

I shop for pre-loved gifts throughout the year, often books, or edibles, . Have got my brother a pair of designer jeans, unworn, from the chazzer for £7.99, for his Christmas this year. Last year, I got him a new waterproof jacket as he hadn't got one, hadn't any money and kept getting wet.

I'm sure Martin Lewis himself, in one of his books, wrote that most people go about Christmas the wrong way; they decide what they want to do then try to scrabble around to get the money to pay for it. Instead, try setting a modest budget and decide how much of your kind of family's idea of fun you can bring in at that budget.

Serendipitious

Agree entirely, GQ.

I've got my gift list down to 6 people - a huge difference compared with about 8 years ago when I had over 30 and had to plan it like a military campaign beginning every January.

6 recipients is very do-able, this includes two DGKs who this year are having fairly expensive scooters (already bought and paid for) and I no longer do them sacks full of stocking fillers as they are already overloaded with high quality stuff. So 4 adult gifts left to buy, plus a festive bottle for the concierge, so £100 should manage all that and any extra food as well. Dinner on The Day will be at DD's - she'll buy, I'll cook, leaving her free to have fun with the kids.

My card list has also shrunk, mostly by mutual agreement since postages became so expensive, and of course with fewer gifts I need less wrap and ribbon.

I've always managed to do high quality at a low cost, but this year I think will be the best yet as it will have the least impact on finances.

LelleUK

I've also been thinking about Christmas recently. I spent FAR too much last year and i refuse to do the same this year.
I'm going to make chocolate truffles this year rather than buy chocolates and sweets and hopefully will work out cheaper.
Pintrest is full of good ideas if you are planning on making gifts.

DomRavioli

Christmas is as cheap or expensive as you make it. I have a large family with lots of small children, but I usually make it for under £250. I buy things throughout the year (the kids get the usual - something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read and a mini stocking with home made food, a juice box and something to keep them occupied xmas morning). Adults get one gift, no limit, but only one. I do splurge on my OH (because his parents are absolute scrooges - in 6 years I have received one set of poundland felt tips, even though I don't use felt tips?!) because he's reliving his xmas youth.

We host an Xmas eve party from 3pm to 10pm, like a drop in for those who need good cheer and feeding. It costs maybe £50 but its worth it to see family and friends. That's the only xmas food cost we have - my parents do xmas dinner, and we get enough chocolate bought that there's no point getting more. Last year I splashed out on a tub of Haribo, on reduced xmas eve in tesco, for a whole £1.50.

I'd also advise shopping on xmas eve - I go into Manchester at 8am, there's not a soul about. I get the rest of my gifts and back home by 11am. Most places will even gift wrap for you.

jackyann

I too, think it is what you make it. Work out agreements with family & friends: I still buy "useful" stuff for young adults, and with older ones have reciprocal agreements - a price limit, and must come from charity / fair trade / local craft.
I also make stuff throughout the year, buy small nice things I see on holiday and give those as small gifts where appropriate.

We do save for some good drink, and food depends on what we're hosting. We buy as much as we can from independent traders and local suppliers. I buy very little from supermarkets at any time, but have found that if you sign up for their loyalty cards, then they send you decent vouchers at Xmas (even if you haven't spent much, they want to lure you in!) so spends on some basics get covered by that.

I actually think that a large proportion of Xmas spends is what people often don't budget for: the works / clubs "dos", the fund-raising fairs etc. etc.

suki1964

The one thing I have to add to my post earlier, is I don't go mad trying to do the perfect Christmas for as little a money as possible


Yes I do cook from scratch, but I cheat and use ys mince meat for mince pies, ys good quality stuffing and sausages and shop bought puff pastry for sausage rolls etc

We do have friends over for a bit of a hoolie. We supply food and soft drink, they supply booze. We supply darts, table tennis, shooting, card games, we have a blast with friends who would also be sat at home twiddling their thumbs or paying a fortune for a 'night out with strangers ' in a pub

Right now I'm planning our summer holiday bash. About 30 and kids. I won't spend more then £80

With holidays you need to know how much you can afford, and cut the cloth to suit. I'm lucky I can cook and I'm well versed in catering for many. But that's all come with experience.

With family and Christmas , well it should be about being with each other and sharing experiences and just enjoying your time with each other.

I'll not be the first to say I supply the Christmas of my youth and now I can see our kids taking on our traditions, not spending a fortune, not getting rat arsed, playing the games with the kids, taking the long walk after dinner

Christmas is a time for family and the commercial bit is for the kids You can spend a fortune on the kids but no point in paying £50 for a game if there's no one there to play the game with.

I love our Christmases. I don't think I've got it far wrong when the kids are doing their own Christmas and still want to join us after Boxing Day

LameWolf

We stopped doing Yule, birthday or any other "celebratory" gifts back in 2002 out of necessity; Mr LW was out of work, and we were trying to live on his JSA and my disability money.
We have carefully never restarted with gifts.

I don't buy loads of extra food, either - after all, we still only need the same amount to eat as on any other day, so it seems pointless to get in loads of sweets/biscuits etc that will only end up putting back the weight we have both worked hard to shed. I don't do large gatherings; if we have anyone over at all, it will be Mr LW's oldest pal, and he too is watching his weight, so all that needs to be supplied is a couple of bottles of decent cider.