To think Christmas will look very different this year?

[ButtOutBobsMum]

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?

I like that idea-it's such a ball ache moving furniture to accommodate the tree every year!!

I noticed they had Halloween themed bedding in Home Bargains and wondered how many they actually sold.

I do think we'll personally be scaling things back this year. Looking at the pantos around me, it costs over £100 for a family of 4. There was one venue where the tickets were between £10 and £14 each, so much more reasonable, but solid out. So, we won't be going. That's just one example.

We usually host on Boxing Day, and are looking at ways to make it look impressive whilst not costing the Earth.

I live in a deprived area, more people than ever have decorated for Halloween. There's a group of pensioners who all live close and normally they deck their houses out for Christmas. They've done it for Halloween this year. I think that a lot of people will be a front on for the kids even though they are struggling.

I've booked stuff instead of buying the extras. I'm debating on going to the theatre this Monday and there's still good seats. Things haven't sold out here as they usually would do.

Well it wouldn't be a bad thing if it caused people to scale back on the tat, and waste but it probably won't.

Loads of houses have been decorated for Halloween since early October round here, so that's a load of weird white cobwebby stuff that will be in landfill by Tuesday. Then everyone will be full on with Christmas, I've already seen people talking about decorating for Christmas already and all the shops are full of stuff.

Several supermarkets are selling Halloween crackers now. I couldn't believe it, whatever next.

early October
That's because it's Spooktober.

The crackers are actually adorable

Never understood people who get into debt for Christmas, if you can't afford a Christmas dinner, to buy Christmas gifts or even have a Christmas tree, don't have one, simple as that.

I think that when people have to scrimp during the year, they throw caution to the wind for Christmas so you may see more of a demand for certain things.

I don't think anything will change. There are lots of people who still have large amounts of disposable income and will be enjoying themselves as usual.

Op a huge amount of people still have the disposable income and are not really impacted. I think you’re being misled by this forum to think that everyone is on the bones of their arse. They aren’t.

so whilst yes for some people Christmas will be different, for many others it won’t be. And if you could afford to host large parties, buy Christmas pjs , spunk 100 quid on seeing Santa, then there is a high chance most of those people can still afford it.

we are an example, our mortgage rate is luckily fixed, the weather has been mild but we tend to heat the house with log burners. Other than cost of food not really a lot has changed for us.

The Christmas lights went up a gear in 2020 to cheer people up over a long, hard winter when so many Christmassy things were banned.

This will be the first normal Christmas since 2019, and people need a psychological break. People tend to substitute around a bit rather than give up entirely. They might swap for a cheaper option or be more selective about what they prioritise, but usually there isn't a radical change of approach.

If you've already got the Christmas lights, it's pence to run the LEDs anyway. If there's a corelation between quantity of decorating and income, if anything it tends to be the lower income areas with more LEDs twinkling/m² because it's relatively low cost for the cheer it brings.

A lot of people still have plenty of money. Shops and restaurants are packed with people where I am.

All of this! We usually go on a small weekend away pre-Christmas but for the first time since 2015 we won’t be going as we can’t justify the cost. I’m also considering not putting lights up outside (and possibly inside) due to the cost. My husband and I probably won’t get each other presents but our son won’t miss out. I realise that our Christmas will not feel too different compared to some and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I’m also grateful that my employer is taking steps to help - free hot food in the canteen and rather than giving everyone a Christmas hamper we’re getting a shopping voucher to the same value instead (and some other things to help too).

Led lights cost a lot less than lighting a candle. Next to nothing.

I’ve been buying toys books etx over the year for Xmas for dd5

she has one big pressie from dh and I. Then a few smaller gifts she will love

and a small something and stocking from fc

food. Xmas dinner is just a glorified roast. We have roasts lots

lights. We have solar lights in garden so have ordered more for front of house as always decorate it with lights

think they were £15

We have a Christmas sinking fund so never get into debt. Just because people do lots for Christmas, doesnt always mean debt, though that seems to be the default on here.

I suspect the majority will have started preparing for their Christmas. Our outdoor lights will be going up as they don't cost a fortune to run, even with the rising costs plus they are only ever on for a couple of hours of an evening.

I wrapped nine presents yesterday. Have been buying for a couple of months. The money is in my account have been squirrelling all year to budget for birthdays and Xmas

I’m really surprised by some of the replies saying people won’t be cutting back, we definitely will be. I normally treat myself to new decorations, Christmas jammies for the family, book into lots of Xmas themed activities for the kids. With the way prices have shot up on absolutely everything, I just can’t justify spending money on that. Instead focusing on gifts for the kids and family, a decent meal on the day, making sure we donate as much as we can afford to local charities who arrange gifts for kids whose parents can’t afford it, and food banks. We will also definitely have our outdoor lights and inflatable Santa up for a shorter period of time than I’d like as well.

Not everyone is living on the breadline and we won’t be cutting back much this year. We’ve never gone into debt for Christmas (or anything else for that matter, bar the mortgage)! I always set a budget and save accordingly.

We have three children who believe all their gifts come from Father Christmas, they are spoilt at Christmas but I don’t generally treat them with toys during the year, unless it’s s birthday etc and I have no intention of changing that this year, it’s our money and I see it’s no harm to anyone else what we choose to do with it.

With regards to decorations, we generally buy a 9/10 foot tree (high ceilings) and therefore use 3 or 4 sets of lights to decorate. The lights are normally switched on first thing in morning and kept on until bedtime and we do always keep them on overnight on Christmas Eve and I don’t see us changing that; it’s for a few weeks, three at maximum.

I know the media is painting a very bleak winter but I don’t know that is actually going to be the reality for as many people as we’re lead to believe……….

What were the dire presents? Purely out of nosiness!