AIBU to ask what you spent over the Christmas period?

[Baileys4two]

I've just sat down this evening to work out what I've spent over Christmas and New Year, so between 15th December and 3rd January.

Not sure if it's good or ridiculous/wasteful, so would appreciate opinions.

This is for all food and drink for that entire period, including:

1x free range Bronze Turkey, 5.46kg
1 x smoked gammon joint, 5.8kg
1 x unsmoked gammon joint, 5.2kg
1.1kg smoked salmon, some standard, some Extra Special brands.

●Christmas dinner with all the trimmings to cater for 6 (no child portions), including all drinks.
●Boxing Day full roast for 9, again with all the trimmings.
●All snacks, biscuits, chocolate, drinks, etc, for both those days.
● Get together for 7, including hot buffet, snacks, all drinks, and party game with 30 decent 'prizes'.
●Get together for 8, same as above.

Both get togethers lasted 7-8 hrs, so catered for enough party food, snacks, chocolates/biscuits and drink for the entire time.

This total also includes £22 on stamps, but not the cards as I bought them in January when they were cheap (probably about £8).

This also includes all presents for 2 teens (mine), my partner, my family and our friends/neighbours. Family and friends totalled 27 people, including 9 children, and 3 couples (counted as 1 person).

My total comes in at £940.14, and I probably still have enough food in to not need to do a food shop until sometime next week.

AIBU to ask what have others spent, and for how many, etc?

Thanks.

I actually can't bring myself to work it out. Too much. We had two different sets of family visiting, three nights a set, 14 people for Christmas day, then friends round for NYE. And over-generous presents. Next year will be very different because I'm so uncomfortable (in hindsight) with the excess of it all.

About a grand between me and DH. About £800 on pressies and maybe £200-300 on food for Christmas week. I prefer not to look.

£1100 on gifts
£350 on food
£300 on booze

I saved all year so splashed out

Why would you work it out? If you only spend what you can afford why sit down and tot it all up?

I don’t even want to know. I jut go by if I have the money I’ll spend it if I want to.

About £2.5k on family presents, and another £300 on a Christmas-outing for the team I manage.
We don’t have children so presents were mainly to my 20 nieces and nephews, siblings, friends’ children, friends, and to DH.

Didn’t have food expenses as my parents hosted.

£200 presents
£210 wine for 2 days. I wasn’t hosting so this was just my contribution.

Presents around 650
Visits to Santa and lights - 80
Extra decorations - 75
Christmas jumpers - 40
Food and drink - 160

So in total £805

I have bought DS's Christmas jumpers in the sale for next year. So that cost will be cheaper next year. Turkey was too big, we threw out half and that was having turkey sandwiches for 2 days so will cut that cost too.

Also have enough decorations now ..maybe just a handmade wreath

Too much, my credit card bill landed on the mat today and I haven’t built up the courage to open it yet

Christmas food about £60, we have leftover and bubble and squeak on boxing day. Presents for family and friends about £250 plus double up nectar points at Sainsbury's so I got £80 worth of stuff for £40 points.

For those wondering why I care, or why it matters, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really, I was just interested/curious.

What started me thinking about it was a thread in early December or so, asking what people would be spending on Christmas dinner, and I was pretty mortified to realise that I didn't really have a clue as we just buy what we need.

For several years now I've become more uncomfortable with just buying/splashing out because it's Christmas when we don't actually need so much stuff.
I asked the dc to actually think about what they wanted/needed this year, and explained that I wouldn't just be buying for the sake of it, so no more make up, etc.

I don't really need anything at my age, I have enough clothes and shoes (& I make them last), I buy toiletries, etc, when I need them, and I don't really drink loads, or go out all that often, so the only thing I asked for for Christmas was new PJs and new slippers. My oh only wanted something that cost £25, and the DC's presents consisted of things they needed (eg, new jeans/hoodie) as well as things they wanted (eg, earrings, books, etc).

The other people I bought for, I made it more about buying things I thought they'd really like, rather than trying to spend a certain amount. That meant some gifts 'only' cost £6, but it was something I knew they'd love. Some things I bought in the Boxing Day sale for a ¼ of the price as I wasn't seeing them until after then, others I bought in flash sales on Amazon (I like a bargain).

This year, after that previous thread, I decided to keep all receipts, etc (which is why I know the weights of the meat), and then worked it out, as I was interested to see what we spend, and thought I could use it to tailor my spend better next year, so there's less waste.

For example, I've already cut down on chocolate, sweets, etc, and we still have some left, so I'll buy even less next year.

Food for Christmas week £150.
DS gifts £180
DH gifts £100

MIL brought a huge gammon and two bottles of wine. It’s her birthday on Christmas Eve so five of us had lunch out which DH paid for and it was around £170 plus £15 tip to waiter.

We had people round for NYE and spent £30 on beer and snacks. we opened champagne we already had and offered stuff like gin that we already had.

Have friends round tomorrow for a post Christmas/ NYE get together and have spent about £40 on a buffet and £20 on beer.

Thanks for the replies. It makes an interesting read.

Probably in the region of $5k.

It’s a lot, but includes flights from the US, car rental, cat sitter, gifts for 10 people, socialising, food.

We don’t get to spend Christmas with family most years so this was a blow out one.

The GDP of a small country.

An insane amount - well over £1K.
No matter how much we try we do not seem able rein in our family spending at Christmas, esp as DH is a massive fan of Christmas and overindulgence.
I love Christmas, but dislike the feeling that hundreds of pounds are wasted on it year in year out.
If I had my way we'd slash our Christmas budget by 3/4.

OK so you did two large meals with special food and two 7-8 hour parties.
You sound like a generous host and the amount you spent reflects that.
Money spent on parties is never wasted

We spent christmas at my parents. It cost:

£300 travel costs
£80 food and meat (contributions to host)
£300 presents to relatives and children

Over the years I have spent less and less at Christmas - food and drink used to be ridiculous. Something clicked a few years ago and I just tell myself - ‘it’s just a few days - don’t buy as if stocking up for some kind of national champagne/cheese/snacks shortage’.
This year I was away on an frankly obscenely expensive holiday after a couple of awful years and death of both parents. It was very much needed and for once I could afford it but the cost in various ways has not sat right with me at all. I have a feeling 2020 needs to be simpler and back to no splurging.
Hope all had a good one no matter what was spent. Some of my best christmases have been pretty simple and low key spending-wise.

Thanks, unlimiteddilutingjuice, I'm pretty sure all our guests had fun, and the game we played really breaks the ice as you get to "steal' presents from each other.

I've overdone the snacks (crisps,etc) again, so will definitely note that down and buy less next Christmas. Got the hot food about right though, so that's something.

HeronLanyon, I really agree that it isn't about how much you spend though. It's the people you're with that make it!

Presents for DD - £120ish
Presentd for other family £100ish
Food/drink - £50 (we were at other people's houses most of the time. I didnt host christmas dinner or anything)
Petrol - £40ish

So about £400

baileys yes! I’d give anything to just have my mum and dad back for a Christmas cup of tea - that would do me !
Actually, they would both be horrified and complain bitterly if that was all I had in so perhaps not,eh?

Presents for DS - £130(ish)
Presents for family - £100 all in
Present for ex from DS - £50
Food - £70 (mum hosted, but I helped her out)
Visit to Santa - £10
Festive clothing - £25

I don't drink, didn't host and didn't go to any parties.

Presents close to £2000!!!!!!!! (I just worked it out....)

Everything else I have no idea....shameful!

It has been a v expensive December with house guests for a loooooooong time (they're still here!) and lots of eating out.

I also have 3 kids with birthdays dec/Jan so all their bday presents have been bought too.

So prob 3000 spent on just Xmas and new year period. Definitely my most expensive December ever!!!!

Obviously we can afford this and haven't gone in to debt but that doesn't mean it was ok to spend that much!!! Felling a little out of control right now!