Mumsnet guide to a credit-crunching Christmas

Feeling financially flummoxed in the face of the fast-approaching festive season? It struck us that we all need a selection of Mumsnetters' finely honed tips on surviving Christmas during a financial meltdown.

Your wise words might not save our pensions (or even Tiny Timothy from being thrown out of his ludicrously expensive prep school because Daddy's bonus has disappeared) but, hopefully, they'll help make the most expensive month of the year less challenging in the wallet department. Lords-a-leaping-along-to-Lidl, say we.

Fiscally challenged feasts

Don't go mad with food! I used to spend loads on 'special food' and then find we threw loads out and eating Christmas stuff for weeks on end. Last year, I did my usual shop and just added a ham and a beef roast, a box of mince pies and a Stilton in a pot. We got a present of a Christmas pudding from my work. In total, we spent half of what we used to spend, and it was just as good and fun as always. Result! spammythevampireslayer
I honestly don't buy any extra food for Christmas. It makes me laugh to see people with their trolleys piled high with enough food to feed an army. Platypussy
Just have leftovers on Boxing Day. We did last year and it was really nice. There is no point having two really big meals. Pollyanna
Buy a smaller turkey and use all of it - even down to boiling the bones for stock. Rosa
Don't be sucked in by all the yummy food advertising. You can always go shopping again on the 27th if you run out. MakemineaGandT

Giving and receiving (er, not quite as much as usual)

Let the credit crunch be an excuse to buy people presents you know they actually want, instead of just grabbing at stuff you think is good present fodder - that's real value for money. bundle
Think about what the kids actually need. If they already have 25 DS games, they don't need another! mumofmonsters
Buy decent 'family' presents instead of separate ones. So, a game of Pictionary (or whatever) for your sister, BIL and nieces/nephews, instead of four or five smaller crapola gifts (might be wise to clear this plan of action with your sister and BIL in advance). Getting 'family' gifts is great, and you can have a bit of togetherness using them too. MakemineaGandT
Use pound shops for stocking fillers. WingsofaBatEyeofNewt
Buy lots of cheap stuff from car boot sales and charity shops. And jazz up the present-giving in some way instead. My partner does elaborate treasure hunts around the house and garden: the kids love it and it spins out the present-opening. Fennel
Do Xmas, don't buy it. scattyspice
Some charity shops do cheap new stuff, too: the British Heart Foundation, for example, have some nice stone jewellery and key rings. hatwoman
Make stuff. Although I am utterly rubbish at sewing, I have made a very rudimentary set of dressing-up costumes out of some old clothes and sheets for my son, aged 4, so now he will have a pirate costume, a medieval knight outfit and a superhero cape. The pirate hook and cutlass, and the sword and shield I got from the pound shop. kitbit
I ask all my siblings to just buy the kids something (rather than the adults) - and then only if they want to. Kids won't go short of presents anyway in a big extended family. crokky
We agree between my siblings not to buy for adults and to get the kids useful gifts. This year, my nephews are getting new bedcovers each, sourced in the sales. My children will also be getting something for their bedrooms. norksinmywaistband
Kids under seven? Buy them a bumper pack of paper and pens and spend time with them drawing/making things to give to others. This is a lot more fun than just grabbing some cheap tat. And you can also make thank-you cards to send to the rellies for the cheap tat they send you, so bonus! twentynine
Do a secret santa for the adults with a price limit. Pollyanna
If you have family abroad, send them money early, so they can buy their own gifts, rather than you having to pay a fortune posting parcels. Send 'family batches' of Christmas cards to one member of each family and ask them to distribute them. TheHedgeWitch
Relatives and close friends are getting things such as a bottle of cheap wine, a jar of home-pickled shallots with either a nice cheese or a nice pork pie, a home-made and decorated mini-Christmas cake or homemade truffles. Grandparents are getting an extra calendar, homemade by the boys and a nice photo (from school ones). Everyone else can take a running jump. fumf
Buy the kids a big joint present, such as a pool table/garden swing, and get it secondhand (look at adverts locally). And recycle: swap unwanted toys with friends. tillyblue
If you're buying big electrical type things for pressies, remember the shops want sales and have targets to meet, so haggle! This works even better if you are buying more than one thing, so try to go to one shop and purchase them all at the same time. If you don't get money off, ask them what they will throw in for you. BCNS
Ask grandparents for something like a year's National Trust membership. It allows a whole year of free car parking and entry to stately homes - perfect for Easter/summer picnics. Waswondering

Be a techno-savvy Christmas shopper

For grandparents, I get calendars made up with photos of the children over the past year. You can get them at Jessops or Snappy Snaps, or online. They are universally loved by all grandparents - and aunts and uncles and great grandparents. Headfairy
Do a list of everyone you need to buy for and set limits you will not go over. Then get things from the internet, using sites like offeroftheday and popvoucher. That way, even though you're spending less, it looks like you have spent way more. theirmum
I do think buying now is the key; it's surprising what £20 can buy you. Keep checking websites like Hot Uk Deals and MSE for deals. Nbg
I am a big fan of buying on the internet and using a web cooperative site such as quidco.com. Click through to the home pages of the shops you want and you'll earn cashback on purchases. It works for all sorts of purchases. After about three months (depending on the cashback deal), you get a little bonus in your bank account. SpookyMadMummy
I am eBaying all my daughter's old stuff to raise funds for her Xmas present. wonderstuff
Shop using the links on Mumsnet to get discounts and offers. (MNHQ, you can pay me later!) Waltzywotzy

Develop a seasonal allergy to tat

Don't buy loads of overpriced throwaway tat that neither you nor any recipient would want or need. Both your purse and your planet will thank you. WhereTheWildThingsWere
Remember that most people would much rather have a nice bottle of wine than any cheapo toiletries giftset/scarf/address book. MIL buys me pointless cheapo tat every year like this. Quality always triumphs over quantity, in my book. I'd much rather receive a small bar of really decent chocolate than my own bodyweight in Celebrations. Or one small pot of lovely handcream than a huge box of naff toiletries packaged in a kilo of moulded plastic. MakemineaGandT
Avoid 'joke' presents. If anyone gives me tacky mugs or gross ornaments, I throw them in the bin. expatinscotland
We use Xmas as an excuse to buy something nice for ourselves/ each other that we wouldn't normally splash out on. In the past, we've upgraded computers, bought a games console - stuff we both enjoy all year round. ChairmumMiaow
Remember that Christmas is about more than how much should I, could I, will I spend. Enjoy some good food, good company and well-earned rest. It's a holiday, people. Christmas not Christress. (Apologies to those of a religious bent.) WhereTheWildThingsWere

Say (cheap) pants to all of it

In our house, Father Christmas always brings pants. hatwoman
We do PJs, nicely wrapped on pillows, as an exciting Christmas Eve treat! They're actually a really boring present but the children don't realise that yet and think it is amazingly exciting getting a present before Christmas Day. morningpaper
On the pants subject: if I need to buy my children pants, they get cheapo, plain Asda multipacks. However, Father Christmas is somewhat more generous than me and will pop Disney Princess or Star Wars or whatever into their stockings. bozza
I always used to get pants as a child. One year, it got silly when I got about six M&S multipacks of five pants, so 30 pairs all in! I was about 13. I haven't had any (except lacy ones from dh) since! wonderstuff

Deck the halls with small sprigs of ('rehomed') holly

Get the children involved in making decorations: loads of glitter, cotton wool, glue - all the stuff you normally ban the rest of the year round. Oh and food: let them help make the mince pies, the Xmas cake and all that nonsense - magic! As a child, we had some very generous Christmases and others more meagre, depending upon income at the time, but the build up, making decorations and stuff was really and truly the most memorable and enjoyable part of Xmas for me. HuwEdwards
A big roll of brown parcel paper, a glue stick and some glitter keeps small people happy for hours and makes really lovely wrapping paper. Collect evergreen leaves (nearer the time) and make a hole with a hole punch and thread onto natural string for tree and present decorations. Collect autumnal leaves now and store them until they go veiny or partially veiny, dip in silver or gold paint, dry and use them as tree decorations. Swedes
Don't bother buying crackers. They are expensive and are just junk. You could make your own I guess, but really what's the point - they look pretty on the table for about 5 seconds and then you just end up with cracker strewn all over the table. MakemineaGandT
Make your own Christmas wreath (wire coat hanger, ivy, bit of holly and some red ribbon or similar). And make tree decorations from saltdough or make pomanders. You can also drape ivy round picture frames, clocks etc. Our table 'centrepiece' is basically a red pillar candle with ivy round it and some Christmassy pot pourri type stuff bought in last year's January sales! Mercy

The slightly-smaller-than-it-used-to-be Big Day

Arrange other activities for Christmas Day, so that it's not all just about opening and then playing with presents. We like to go to the beach. It means that if you aren't buying them that much, they quite likely won't notice. Don't invite any relatives over. Then you don't have to wine or dine them. Added advantage is you don't have to talk to them, either. Fennel
Remember that it is only one day and probably the thing you'll most recall is spending that time with your family. It's not worth stressing over lots of details/extra bits and bobs; just over those that matter. I actually find the excesses of Christmas Day quite depressing, but then I am a grump! yomellamoHelly
Focus on on getting together with family, friends and neighbours, rather than buying, buying, buying. People generally prefer a mince pie and a chinwag over a crapola Boots 3 for 2 toiletries set! MrsMattie
Go to rich in-laws for Christmas Day - they will shower your kids with crappy plastic tat lovely gifts and cook enormous dinner. Repeat with own family for Boxing Day - or reverse if you prefer. If you don't have any rich family, you're a bit stuffed but you can always try your dh's boss, who will hopefully reform from his stingy ways just in time to buy you a goose for Xmas dinner. theSuburbanDryad
Get smaller stockings and a small tree (and small dinner plates if need be). scattyspice

Remember the Mumsnet Mantra: Bah, humbug!

The trouble is that children today just have too much stuff. So, another tip is to collect all unwanted soft toys, wash and tumble dry, and package any good ones off to other children for their presents. You really can't tell if they are new or not - if the labels fade, cut them off neatly! morningpaper
Everyone is obsessed with buying named stuff/game consoles/brand new this and brand new that. Children do not notice things like that unless you are obsessive about it yourself. Fair enough if you have the money to buy new and want to spend in that manner but, if you don't, there is no shame in secondhand. FioFio

Love and (exceptionally thrifty) good cheer,

MNHQ