How strong is the urge to say “screw it all” I am splashing out for Christmas?

[Dittosaw]

I am holding myself back at the moment. It’s just a day. But I can feel myself weakening

If you can afford it and it will make you happy the do whatever you want

Very strong over here!

Have already purchased bottle of champagne- too late here

Nope. I never have this. Not sure why. If it won’t put you in debt or leave you short for the rest of the year and would make you happy - is it a bad thing?

Medicinal purposes. Enjoy 😁

We are spending what we usually do on Christmas. Over the year we spend around 1 months pay on holidays and 1 months pay on Christmas/birthdays. If you can afford to splurge a bit without depleting your savings entirely I’d go for it.

Why do you have to hold yourself back? Do whatever you want within your means 🤷‍♀️

Most of me is thinking be sensible, stay moderate, don’t get into debt. There is one item which will guarantee an extremely happy Christmas especially as we are a few family members short this year and missing them. I am trying to talk myself out of it.

Same

Hang on. "spalshing out" in your OP (which I'd say go for it, to!) - isn't the same necessarily as "get into debt" which is what you then say. Which is it?

What's the thing?

There is no one thing that will guarantee you all a happy Christmas.

I feel the same - but I am sticking resolutely with my original plans (not happily though 😂)- I spent last night putting stuff in baskets and taking them back out again. I didn't buy a thing and I feel exhausted with the constant toing and froing. It is a new habit I want to settle with (not going mad at Christmas) so it is worth the discomfort because it will be easier next year. If it is a new habit you want to instil then I would resist the lure - because there will always be SOMETHING, if it's a one off year of lower spending it is less important to maintain....

You are absolutely NBU. DH and I have had this same conversation this year.

After 2 years of crap we've had enough. Stuff it all, we need some holiday cheer, we've plenty of savings, fed up with being cautious all the time. Presents all sorted.

So we're going to Switzerland on Friday for a long weekend, only booked it last week, kids excited, we're excited. Hopefully we'll go to Chamonix /Mont Blanc. No regrets

Ok - that’s definitely a moving of goal posts - splashing out for Christmas = fine
getting into debt for Christmas = crazy idea.

As PP said no one thing will guarantee a great Christmas- you only have to have someone get ill, or fall out or get out of bed in a mood and it’s automatically less great. Far too much expectation for one day.

Yup! Big difference

No. Spending money is not a route to happiness ime (particularly if its money you don’t actually have). I would find that far more stressful than a simple day.

Oh you've written more since I wrote the above. I definitely wouldn't push us close to worrying about money due to a Christmas purchase.

I wouldn't get into debt for it OP.

Exactly this. Not necessarily debt but behind where I need to be. It just seems so miserable, buying very little and watching every penny.

For Christmas no.........for a holiday hell yes!

It entirely depends what the “thing” is. We always historically take a big warm weather holiday with some friends over the new year period but were going to sack it off this year to save money; however, we’ve just learned that one of our friends has been diagnosed with a chronic illness
which means they may have lost the ability to walk in a couple of years. So we’ve said fuck it, and we’re all taking that holiday together. It represents some of our savings rather than debt, but I’d probably have considered debt for it to be honest.

That sort of “thing” - I’m with you. Fancy presents which will be old news in a year’s time, not so much. Can you create the “splashing out” feeling in other ways?

I can understand the urge and why people end up doing it, but I try not to. I save up through the year and buy within our means - but then my kids aren’t into big gaming consoles or anything and I’m glad because we simply couldn’t afford the new PlayStation or anything like that! We do manage expectations in advance.

I try to think of it as - okay I could get into debt for a moment of incredible happiness on one day, or I could buy some nice gifts that my kids will be happy with and then still be able to afford extra things like ballet, football, karate, summer days out etc. If I was in debt over Christmas we’d be less likely to afford all those things which are more important to me. Plus we’d be in trouble if (knock wood) we ever lost our jobs or had an emergency.

I think too many people don’t manage expectations. I’m not one of these miserable ‘kids should be happy with an orange’ but I don’t see how being in debt over a very expensive gift helps anyone when most kids would be happy with some new toys/gifts that cost less and are within your means. Could you elaborate on what the gift actually is?

I'm very tempted as my DC lost their dad this year and I want to make Christmas lovely for them. But I do realise just throwing money at it won't do that.

fgs its just one day why would you get in debt over it

I've said screw it and have gone nuts this Christmas... bought everyone else's gifts in November and on Monday bought myself two full size bottles of perfume from the jean paul gaultier website which has 30% off atm!! As well as some other stuff to wrap up for myself for Christmas. Sort of feel that's it's been a tough year that the savings can take a dent this Christmas.