What's the cost of Christmas? Poll Results/Discussion 11 December 2007 at 4:47PM in Money Saving Polls 22 replies 5.1K views

Former_MSE_Wendy

Poll Ran between 11-18 Dec 2007:

What's the cost of Christmas? How much do you think you will spend this year?

How much will you spend on Christmas? I ran a similar poll two years ago (view results) and it will be interesting to see if the Credit Crunch is changing spending habits.

How much do you think you will spend this year?

A. Santa who?: £0 we don't celebrate 5% (184 votes)
B. Secret Santa: £0 - £250 33% (1313 votes)
C. Serious Santa: £250 - £500 34% (1329 votes)
D. Stupendous Santa: £500 - £1000 21% (838 votes)
E. Mother (of a) Christmas: £1000 plus 8% (309 votes)

This vote has now ended, but you can still click reply to discuss below.

Thanks to everybody that voted

ceridwen

Would prefer in many ways to be in the "Santa - who?" category. Find it difficult to avoid Christmas altogether - but think its hugely commercialised (like everything else pretty much!) these days. Its done to death by time the date itself actually comes up - with shops not even waiting for December before they put up the decorations and start urging us to "buy, buy, buy".

So I'm in at less than £100 - which I think reasonable for a single person. I think Christmas can be done for not more than £300 even for a family. Watching someone wandering past me yesterday with a fake Christmas tree with price label of £29 on it and thought "Well - thats £29 down the drain for a useless gewgaw" basically. I put up cards and candles and maybe fetch in some greenery and thats the decorations done and only go on the Christmas celebrations I specifically want to - I could spend loads on work Christmas stuff alone - but I'll just stick to the Secret Santa and charity draw and giving cards to colleagues I am friends with and those on my group (as I have to work with them next year).

I am taking as much of a leaf as I can out of the Mennonites' attitude to Christmas - ie:

www.buynothing.org

for ideas on how to do a non-commercial Christmas.

kippers

I have a hugh family to buy for. Me and my other half dont have a present and we have a budget of £30 for each of my children. The rest (just over £250) is spent on family members (approx £7 per person) and i have to save all year for xmas...Humbug...I want to spend this money on my children but i feel such pressure to buy for others at xmas...Humbug!

DdraigGoch

Well, I voted for the £0-£250 range, as I'm well within that at the moment .... and then I thought about all the boodle that I've stashed away since January 07.... and I think I've just about managed to stay in this range - I thought I'd still got the food to buy, and then found I'd already got the turkey [present from a friend, it's still walking around!], the pud [bought in sales in January!] and have been promised smoked salmon as our present by another chum - so, looks like we're all set. We've limited presents to £15 each other and £50 for the children [2], £10 to godchild and £5 for everyone else. Everyone seems to be happy with this arrangement.

At least I shan't have a problem with cash flow - it's flown out and hardly been missed by now:rotfl:Thanks, Martin and everyone here.

BigMummaF

I've voted for the 'Secret Santa', & I'm hoping that will cover the food side too.

When you buy stuff a bit at a time it's difficult to say how much is spent, so perhaps I should make the Budget Diary on OS my definate NY resolution for 2008:o

We collect a sack of spuds from the local pet shop this week @£8 for 25kg, & there are two lovely lamb, a decent pork & huge top rib beef joint in the freezer from a butchers that did the lot for £20:T The one thing I've not scimped on was the middle range mint sauce, mainly cuz it has considerably less sugar than others & me muvva is a diabetic, & we much prefer the taste.

Prezzies have been limited to £20pp, & they have a 'retro sweet hamper' built into a DVD storage box each.....that's a box that holds 10 DVDs, not the skinny plastic one they come in.....:rolleyes: ....now that would of been REAL MSE:rotfl:

Whatever you spend I hope you & your families enjoy a Peaceful & Happy Yuletide.:santa2:

isthatreduced

I voted C

I have 13 -15 people to buy for(depending on who DD is friends with at the time)

I keep two word documents with all details and amount spent.

I have spent £230 on DD who is 13

Much of the stuff I picked up in the 75% off Boots sale and have been gifting it out all year.
I always shop around and managed to find her phone for £30 less(but didn't spend it on more presents)

Spent about £35 each Immediate familly (Mum,Dad and Brother)

I saved £100 in Luncheon vouchers for food from surveys.

I have just added it all up and it comes in at over £500
so I should have voted D:eek:

I don't really buy DD stuff throughout the year other than clothes.
I can't afford holidays so I don't have a problem treating her,I am careful what I buy,I haven't bought stocking fillers,just stuff that she can use all year.

All the money has been saved up ,I have never bought stuff I had to pay for after Christmas,even in my darkest times.

choccyface2006

I voted D. Stupendous Santa: £500 - £1000

I have spent £170 on each of my children (2) £150 on my partner and about £400 on relatives and £100 on other christmas related purchases like work meal, theatre trip for DD2, chocs, PJs for Christmas Eve and an outfit for the girls.

I don't buy my girls much throughout the year apart from Birthdays and NEVER buy rubbish or gimmicky toys or gifts for anyone, I shop around for everything, use Quidco & online codes as much as possible and budget for the expense so I have never been in debt for Christmas or anything else.

Sarah x

sparrer

Having spent years scrimping and scraping to get by, I recently reached retirement age :eek: and am better off than I've been for years! My children and grandchildren are quite used their £10 gifts from Grandma but this year is going to be very different, I can afford to buy them the things I want to and the things they'd like, thanks in part to putting whatever I could into a pension fund (I do object to paying tax on it though!), and all the tips I've picked up since becoming a member of this site. Oh, and I've already started 'clicking' for next years presents :rotfl: . How I'm going to enjoy being a Stupendous Santa, even if only just once in my life!

Merry Christmas Everyone :A

kidsmo

Hello I'm new to this site but a seasoned money saver for years.
Christmas in our house is a challenge, every year we add up how much we have spent - not just on presents - but on food aswell.
Since starting our challenge 3 years ago we have more than halved our total spend. With everything from Poundland - cards & paper through to BHS 20% off weekends ( their gifts look more expensive - but aren't) and careful budgeting - we have dropped from Stupendous Santa's to Serious Santa's in less than 3 years.
Interestingly some of the distant nieces that you only see once a year loved the Poundland Toys better than anything else!
Looking forward to reading more great ideas on this site.:T

jennyo

kippers wrote: »

I have a hugh family to buy for. Me and my other half dont have a present and we have a budget of £30 for each of my children. The rest (just over £250) is spent on family members (approx £7 per person) and i have to save all year for xmas...Humbug...I want to spend this money on my children but i feel such pressure to buy for others at xmas...Humbug!

Speak to you extended family about this, you may find they too are grateful to have the pressure taken off. i did it a few years ago, no more presents, some people may be offended, but those that truely care will accept, i love christmas, as does my husband and adult children, but it does give me a buzz knowing I've only bought for who I want, and not purchased loads of stuff that will end up in the bin or charity shop.
I wish you all a happy christmas.

mintedby30?

Just finished my Christmas spending spreadsheet (a wee bit tragic but certainly puts things into perspective!) and it totals £677:eek: making me a Stupendous Santa although I feel like more of a Shattered Santa!

£100 on OH
£150 on DD
£15-£30 each on various Sisters, Brothers, Parents and Grandparents
£5 each on cat and dog
£10 secret santa for Girls night on 21st- can't wait!-
£100 on food and wine- nothing included for xmas day as we're be at folks-

We promised last year we wouldn't spend as much and we have managed to knock £200-ish off but it still seems steep!
We're both only in our mid-20's with a three year old daughter and a new mortgage so both families would understand us not spending as much but it's just the pressure we put on ourselves to buy everyone nice gifts.

We don't have debts -other than the mortgage!-lol- I love spending on the people and causes I care about but am far too tight to throw money away on the crazy interest on credit cards!

On a happier and more money-saving note I've managed to get great deals on amazon, mandmdirect (fab discounts on branded clothing) thorntons 20% off with promo code. :money:

Personal challenge next year is to get it under £500- and to rent out our spare room over summer to hopefully pay for xmas and a summer hol!

Jen x