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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Christmas will look very different this year?

169 replies

ButtOutBobsMum · 27/10/2022 07:45

I was wandering around the shops yesterday and it occurred to me that lots of the extra "fluff" around Christmas is likely to disappear this year due to the increase in the cost of living-

-Christmas lights outside houses. With the energy cost increase I can't imagine many houses will have lots of lights up.

-Christmas Eve boxes, Christmas bedding, Christmas pyjamas. I've never done any of these things as my children are older now but their popularity in recent years has grown. I'm guessing these are extras that lots of people will sacrifice?

-Christmas parties. I know several people who host parties on Christmas eve, Christmas Day evening, Boxing Day and New Years Eve. Short of charging people to come I don't see how they're going to afford to host big parties this year.

-Trips to see Santa. I haven't had to do it for many years but they seem to have become more and more elaborate and therefore more expensive. My niece took her kids last year to one at a local garden centre and with the extras of ice skating, feeding reindeer and food and drinks it cost over £100!

Personally speaking our Christmas is always pretty small and low key so I don't think I'm going to have to make any big changes other than perhaps cutting back on presents for extended family.

DH and I were discussing it and he's of the view that people find it hard to change these traditions and will go into debt to carry them on but I'm not convinced.

So I suppose AIBU to think Christmas will look very different for a lot of people this year?

OP posts:
araiwa · 27/10/2022 07:47

Lots of people get in debt every year for Christmas. I guess many people will do the same this year too

KangarooKenny · 27/10/2022 07:48

I agree with your DH, I think many people will have their usual Xmas and go into debt for it.

Mol1628 · 27/10/2022 07:49

I don’t think it will be much different, no.

cremeeggsonboxingday · 27/10/2022 07:49

I was thinking that about the lights, which is sad because people normally put on amazing displays around here and it's nice to go for a walk to look at them. We have battery powered ones though, but not quite as impressive

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 27/10/2022 07:50

A lot of people will get in debt for it.

we are passing on seeing Father Christmas- was £50 for us all last year with dire presents (both kids were upset by them) now it’s £100.

RedHelenB · 27/10/2022 07:50

Is be surprised if there was any marked difference. In fact I've already seen Christmas Eve boxes. I'm in the lower bands financially but I'm still going to put lights up outside and on my tree. I'm also going to spend so we have our usual Christmas as k by as possible, we all look forward to that family time together.

gogohmm · 27/10/2022 07:50

Speaking personally nothing will be changing for us because we never have spent money on these frivolous things - we will be hosting a party but the cost is minimal as our friends contribute towards the drink and food, always have done.

I've ordered a turkey, my mum buys the rest of the food.

Christmas bedding if you care for it can be used year after year, many people have lights up year round. The kids will all get pjs as normal (not matching!) but they are grown

Applesandcarrots · 27/10/2022 07:50

Not everyone is ending month with 0 in the account though. Quite a lot don't.
Christmas are not just either small or debt for most

Hooverphobe · 27/10/2022 07:50

Nah. People will go for it. I live in a very affluent area - we’ll be lit up like Oxford at and to hell with the cost.

at the other end of the scale, my dad lives near a poverty-stricken town and says the shops are still rammed on pay-day.

paying the leccy or having a great Xmas? Yeh. No.

RedHelenB · 27/10/2022 07:51

As much as possible that should say

Whereisthehugeteddybear · 27/10/2022 07:51

Our Christmas will be different because we've recently lost a close relative. My children are too old for santa and we've never done Xmas eve boxes or Xmas pjs. I hope we will still put Xmas lights up though

Topgub · 27/10/2022 07:52

I think something like 1/3 of people get inti debt for xmas as it is.

The pressure on people to spend money they don't have to keep up with the Jones is mad

MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/10/2022 07:52

i dont think it will be different
people get into debt, always have and always will

Topgub · 27/10/2022 07:53

Just like people seemingly understand the message of what we need to do to stop climate change but don't actually seem to be able to do it.

Myself included

MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/10/2022 07:54

there will be cheap lights available,

donttellmehesalive · 27/10/2022 07:54

I think many people will cut back somewhere, on the things they can stand to do without or find cheaper alternatives.

I think retail will be hoping it gives them the usual boost but there might be more offers and deals around. I was shopping in our nearest city last weekend and in some ways it was good to see the return of sales and discounts that haven't been around for awhile but presume it means it's getting tougher to make sales.

KangarooKenny · 27/10/2022 07:54

We will still put our exterior lights up, but they will go off earlier than usual to reduce the cost.

Matilda1981 · 27/10/2022 07:54

Ours will be pretty much the same; our energy bills are the same as they were last year as we are in a fixed rate until 2024, me and my husband are earning more money than this time last year.

MaverickSnoopy · 27/10/2022 07:55

I think that the people who could afford big parties, will likely still be able to afford big parties. Maybe some won't.

I have seen lots of posts on my budgeting groups from people saying they can't afford Christmas either at all or in the way they normally do.

We save throughout the year for Christmas so could do a "normal" Christmas. It feels frivolous though and I'm conscious that our food bill is costing more and more and we don't know how much more things will go up. So we're planning on scaling back.

We have 3 young children so to visit Santa we go a museum that hosts child friendly events throughout the year - it costs £70 and includes an annual membership. The gifts are brilliant too. Not an option for everyone but it's worth looking around.

Vapeyvapevape · 27/10/2022 07:55

I'm sure some people will rein it in but many won't. My family have gradually toned it down over the years, first putting a price limit on presents for a couple of years and then saying we won't buy at all for nieces and nephews (now all adults) last year. My sister and I agreed not to buy for each other a couple of years ago too.
For some it will be nice to go overboard as it's been such a shitty few years and they won't care about the cost.

Original poster
ButtOutBobsMum · 27/10/2022 07:56

Yes I can see that many people historically get into debt for Christmas which I sort of get when jts to buy presents for children and other family. But it seems madness for crap like Christmas bedding and some of these extravagant Christmas "experiences".

As far as lights go, there seem to be so many people (in real life and on here) leaving their heating odd, turning off lights and appliances and trying to find ways to cut energy bills will they really still put loads of lights outside their houses and leave them on for hours? I just can't see it 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
MegGriffinshat · 27/10/2022 07:56

Nothing will change for us as we have never had the money to spend. It’s just a normal roast dinner and a few presents for the children only, nothing extravagant. I wouldn’t get into debt for Christmas.

The friends and family that I know who go all out are still starting to spend now, as they always do. My friend puts most of it on a credit card each year buying huge gifts for her family, she always has done.

midgetastic · 27/10/2022 07:56

Whilst lots of people are really struggling

Most actually still have enough money to either do Christmas as normal
or chose some things to cut to facilitate other things not being cut so they can do Christmas as normal

most people are not really at the nothings left to cut and I still can't afford to live state

RemindMeAgain · 27/10/2022 07:58

We save throughout the year for Christmas and that money will go as far as it goes so I guess our Christmas might not be as big, we don’t make a massive deal of it anyway tbh, we’ll put up last years decorations, see Santa at a shopping centre, there will be food and drinks and a few presents for everyone, I’m not sure what more we need, I feel pretty lucky to be honest.

AnnapurnaSanctuary · 27/10/2022 07:59

I'm surprised that most of the replies think that nothing will change. We'll definitely be cutting back a bit, and I'd have thought others would too.