To be panicking about Christmas already!

[MySordidCakeSecret]

I'm really panicking, keep making and re-making lists, trying to price it up etc and doing daily checks on my bank account in the hope that my saving have got amorous and made money babies - to no avail.

Seriously though, I mentioned it a another mum in the playground today, and they replied why?

Is anyone else panicking?! A month or so ago i was thinking it's not a big deal, I know how to do this, just a fancy roast dinner and some presents for the kids.. then now I've started to have a look around and work out the finer details, and it's hundreds! the kids aren't too bad but partner and family, foodcombined is getting me worried big time about finances. My savings plans seemed good until i saw how many pay days there actually are til crimbo, and it doesn't help my dp is hopeless!

It's madness to buy for adults if you are struggling for money.
Also madness to spend too much on chikdren but can see why that might be harder to avoid.
It is just a special roast dinner-get meat and veg from aldi and crackers and decorations from pound shop.
Get kids to make cards for immediate family
Put stuff you would buy anyway-underwear, gloves, lip salve etc in stockings.
I love Christmas but would never go into debt or even think about saving much.

One year we were a bit broke as I hadn't gone back to work after having second dc and instead of our usual nice real tree we bought a tesco value artificial one for £4!
We've kept it and it brings back fond memories every year.

Not panicking, not bought anything. It's not even October! We don't have much spare money and no savings - but we only buy for our own children, nieces and nephews. Not for friends, not for adults, nobody. We spend about £25 on each dc, plus a stocking. they get plenty from grandparents etc. I don't send cards, the children make a few for friends and family if they want to. We make loads of decorations, put on some Christmassy films, do a bit of baking, we do spend a little bit more on food than normal, some treats, bottles of fizz, but it's essentially a roast dinner and it all comes from Lidl so we don't spend huge amounts compared to some people. Once I managed to spend under £100 on the whole of Christmas including our dc's presents but we did have Christmas dinner at the grandparents' that year.

I've been cutting back for a couple of years now and honestly the DCs haven't noticed. I'm buying even less this year probably still more than I plan to though

I'm only panicking in that nobody knows what they would like and I hate the sodding season anyway. I'm going to buy the toddler a set of cardboard boxes to trash, the middle one a water stones voucher and the eldest a spotify subscription at this rate as I'm clueless.

i'm really surprised actually, i thought everyone started getting ready in september! My oldest DS, 2 of the things he really wants already sets me back £100.. the youngest is a baby so he's easy but yes it's so easy to get carried away/

Why are you panicking? Is this your first time at the rodeo? I do my Xmas shopping between aldis and Iceland, use my extra freezer in the garage to store up stuff and buy all the veg the day before Xmas eve. I just pick up wee presents all year round. A kof off eBay and gumtree coz my kids do motocross and horses and that's expensive and don't buy for wider family.i get the kids to pick something for each of their dad's and I buy hubby something. It's not that stressful and we will have 26 at ours this year

I think a lot of people feel the financial pressure of Christmas TBH. Can you agree with people that you will only do presents for your immediate family this year, and agree a spending limit. I buy for my mum, dad and brother as well as DH and my DD, but for the adults we agree a price limit (usually about £20). Also how old are your kids? We were really struggling for money for DD's birthday this year but she's young enough that we can get away with buying several cheap bits (I.E, a couple of pounds each) and she obviously won't know. Don't buy too much food - a couple of treats will do and just some ingredients for a roast dinner on the day.

How old is your oldest DS? If he's not old enough to understand the value of money and still believes in Father Christmas, then maybe you could ask grandparents for contributions for the things he wants rather than them buy him separate gifts? Maybe explain as well that Father Christmas has a lot of children to buy for so he can't lots of big presents for every child. And set yourself a £20 limit for the baby. Honestly they won't know anyway and other family will probably buy them presents as well.

If you have already spent £100 on your DS then do you need to buy him anything more? I am assuming he is only little. If you are having people round for a meal could you ask them to bring pudding and wine so that there is less for you to buy?

My adult twins don't want to discuss Christmas till the last moment. I like to contribute food and prefer not to have too much on my hands just in case the twins don't invite us to spend the day with them.

Scale back. Really. We have a nice meal and a tree. The kids get cash now, which is easier.

Let people know you are having a scaled down Christmas, just say you think it's got all too commercial and you aren't doing presents for wider family. The food doesn't have to cost too much extra than a nice roast does (unless you are catering for huge extended family) in which case, maybe uninvite them or ask them to bring a course...

I won't be thinking of Christmas till the week before when go and get the tree.

YABU to be panicking already but not unreasonable to be planning and preparing. We have 4 children, and a 5th due the week before Xmas. Dh and I don't have huge incomes so we do have to plan ahead and make lists so that we know each child is getting a similar amount of money spent. I try to do one child a month when I get paid so September I buy the youngest presents, October the next then November, December etc. just spreads it all out really. Don't panic though, set a budget, make a list, and enjoy :-)

You don't have to spend £100 if you can't afford it just because a child has expressed a desire for a present costing that much.

My daughter has asked for a laptop for Xmas. I told her no chance. However I then said her birthday is 2 weeks later and we can give her cash and ask grandparents to give her cash so between the 3 of us, over the 2 occasions, she may have enough to get a laptop. But it's a good lesson for children to learn that wanting doesn't mean getting x

I made my last payment today to my Christmas fund so I'm not, you should do it next year. Direct debit every month to a different account and don't touch it or save with Park.

get a value chicken instead of turkey.

trawl the charity shops for pressies for the children.. bulks out the pile.

sod the extraneous rellies they can go without and prewarn them that you can not buy this year. (like now)

ffs do not spend 100 quid on the two year old.

if you can't afford it, don't do it. No presents for adults and a fiver each for kids. Your own kids if things are really tight. Shop two days before at most; sales on then. Don't wish your life away, it is only just autumn.

Stop all buying for adults NOW.

do not save with 'hampers' or schemes - you know what happens with those.

sparkly tat is right at the bottom of the pile. Living expenses first, plus six months worth of those as savings.

I don't think about it in Sep. But if I do see something on offer I will put it up as a gift. Over the years I have also stopped buying the mountain of "Christmas" food. Unless I have lots of family coming over I don't buy that much more than usual. The shops are still open! Plus if I buy too much in advance I only end up eating it anyway so have to buy it all again!

I have to say the thing I hate the most about Christmas is having to buy for other family members and buying them stuff just for the sake of it. Sounds horrible but they cause me the most stress, I would rather just say don't buy me anything and I won't buy you! But they won't have any of it!

i'm really surprised actually, i thought everyone started getting ready in september!

In real life I don't know anyone who gets ready in September!
We haven't got much money this year, so we're just not buying much. It helps that we have a toddler and a baby I guess so no pressure for big gifts. DH and I won't get each other anything, he's off to some rugby World Cup games so that's his treat (and the reason we haven't got much money for Christmas!). Food wise we'll get a nice piece of meat, a veg box and some cold meats/cheeses/salad stuff but don't go overboard. I'm not sure what else people spend money on in terms of food? It's just a fancy roast dinner!

Do a Secret Santa for all invitees - so each person gets a present from someone else (set a price). Make food things in advance too and freeze them, parsnip bake for instance, soup for the starter (cream of winter veg is lovely) and I even use those partially frozen bread rolls (but obvs cook them before serving ha ha) - this all saves money as you can cook and prepare in advance.

I'm not panicking but I'm planning. I've 21 presents to buy (20 if me and dp don't bother with each other) and also ds's 2nd birthday a few days before Christmas. I also have a few other 2nd Birthdays around Christmas as all of the mums I've met also have babies with birthdays then. I think those who don't plan must have either very few to buy for or lots of money. There are only 3 wage packets until then and it's better to budget now than pay after.

We've also recently moved and had or dd (10 weeks). We now have the biggest house in our side of the family so will be hosting them on Christmas Eve and Day. Since we don't drive and now have two babies travelling to in laws would be a nightmare (and they can't really house us all!) so they are coming to us too- boxing day, Ds's Birthday and New years. AArghh! I've started squirreling non perishables away, some booze and biscuits and things like that. On the look out for bargains as little presents for the various kids and so on. I'll need a lot of Prosecco after two dry Christmases (one 3 days post partum, one pregnant)! Off to Christmas topic. Despite the expense I love Christmas and never complain that it starts too early

Presents are easy with my family so that's OK.
I'm already planning as well.
In fact this just prompted me to send out chase emails to everyone to make sure all is OK and get menu choices sorted.
Really need to book the place in the next week or so.
I'm on it though!

YY to come over to the Christmas Topic, we are over involved ready to talk, sympathetic,enthusiastic and have loads of suggestions to help.

I don't start buying yet but I save £2 coins all year (in a tin). New tin starts once the old one is opened.
Change under 20p goes in another jar and I'll take that to the MetroBank (they don't charge unlike Coinsaver)

I have my Nectar Points and use as many Bonus Points as feasible.

In December I have DS birthday.
We plan something for every weekend in December so I really don;t want to be out shopping. Plus I have flushes so shops aren't the best place to be.

I have dietary considerations to consider for meals.

So, "Fail To Plan Is Plan To Fail"

Start lists by all means. I keep a notebook of things I'm looking out for. DH scours the Internet for these .

I'll buy all the Christmas magazines that I like when they come out (usually 3-4 but I don't buy them any other time)

We buy for the DC but not for adults. I don't even send cards (too idle).

I will book a ballet for DD and I and we'll have tea somewhere.

I'll do my cake in November.

I don't ever want to be dashing about on the 23rd buying things unless it's a loaf.

NickyEd 2 dry Christmas' here too for the same reason, really hoping 11 week old DD will be sleeping well enough that I can enjoy a few drinks this time round!
We don't have many to buy for. We don't buy for friends or friends children as it would just get silly and we've all agreed not to. DH has a very small family, I have one so large that no one buys for each other! So my parents, DH's parents and SIL really. Then our own 2 DD's.