My Christmas expenses look to be totalling over £1000

[Xmasdemon]

This includes decor including a tree, lights, garlands, a door wreath and other little pieces; outfits for self and child in family; presents and money gifts. Is this crazy or is this just the price of Xmas ?

Oh

Average Christmas spend UK 2025 is reported to be around 1,600 pounds.
Its not necessary of course, it's a choice.
Im not judging anyones choice on what to spend their money on,people priorities different things and thats fine.
If you are saying you cant really afford that amount,economisr on the things less important to you.

If you want to save money you could try charity shops for decorations, or Olio app for free decorations. And do low cost things like making paper chains from old paper.

Where are all your decorations from last year?

Throwing out an artificial tree after one use is madness and so wasteful. I hope you didn’t do the same with the decorations?!

We have a box of decorations we bring out every year. The kids love revisiting them each year, it’s a tradition I loved as a kid too. So this year I won’t need to buy any decs really as we have everything. If you don’t have a loft can you get a shed or clear out some space in a wardrobe??

What's the point of spending so much on one day if you have to struggle the next month?

What’s the brag? Dipping into savings that you need and then having to cut back on January is the opposite of a brag.

You are far from bragging. Definitely get a new outfit for yourself and spoil the kids. Look at Black Friday deals.

If you and your kids were in a hostel last year, then this year they'll just love being in their own home. They won't care if there's a wreath on the door.

If they are teens tell them there's a budget.

I'm amazed by those saying "a real tree is £80", you can get them at the supermarket or Home Bargains for £20.

Get off instagram and looking at influencers' fancy houses filled with foliage and lights everywhere. You don't need this. Part of the fun is slowly building up your Christmas decorations. Get one of those big boxes from Primark or wherever that are about £20 for various sizes of coordinated baubles, and decorate the tree together. That's all you need.

It does seem a lot when you have to use some of your savings but I can see what you are thinking. The suggestions about places like Home Bargains are helpful and perhaps a limit of £15 per person for gifts, apart from your children.
Bonmarché have very nice clothes at a reasonable price in a wide selection of sizes so you could find an outfit that you love at a good price. If you have access to the internet you could order online.
I kept a real tree in a large tub for years and used to leave it outside then drag it in each Christmas.
I think you being so enthusiastic about Christmas will make it extra special for the kids.
Whatever you do, have a wonderful time.

She’s bragging.

I don’t think I’d spend my savings if saving for something important on Xmas stuff, no, but then I wouldn’t be buying trees and binning them either, it makes me wonder if you’ve self control issues over spending or money, how long did it take you to save the 1k?

i undeetsnd the need to make things nice, but I am not sure I’d blow a grand on a couple of weeks worth of stuff, and I do wonder if you’ve let your impulses get the better of you. You can really achieve the same as you want, with a fraction of the cost.

I often collect lots of holly and ivy and tie it together and use it to make garlands and wall hangings. Add in some fairy lights and it looks so much nicer than the shop bought decorations. It is much better for the environment as well than a load of non recyclable tat from China.

I don’t think she’s bragging I think she’s spent her savings, is excited about rhe stuff she’s bought and wants to tell people, I don’t think she can actually afford it if she’s spending savings and has to cut back next month, bragging would be if she could easily afford it. Blowing your savings on a few days of Xmas isn’t something many people would think is brag worthy.

Anyone with teens will probably struggle to keep under £1000 just on presents (i do have 3 of them and one needs a decent PC so Christmas is exceptionally expensive this year). We buy an extra decoration per year so it builds up and now we have a lovely amount. I really want a beautiful wreath for the door but £50+ is just hard to justify so I’ll make do with what we have and spend on the gifts. Stockings are going to be really cut back this year in our house as family presents have increased.

But, i spend what we can afford. Set a budget then decide how to spend it rather than making January awful trying to get finances on track as you’ll be setting yourself up for the same next year, always chasing your tail. Get decorations in the sales after Christmas for next year.

I do just want to have a whole lovely month but I just fell in love with all the Next decor. I'm going to take advice and check out b and m, although I am a little stuck on whether I will pull off making a wreath.

Starting from the first week in November, I've been adding £20 worth of christmas food/drinks to my normal weekly shop. You don't need to buy all those things now. I'd get the tree with lights, leave the wreath until next year or January sales? You don't need new outfits. You can agree to do a secret santa for extended family and token gifts for kids outside your own. There's lots of ways to reduce the Christmas budget.

You throw a fake tree out every year?

I opened this thread thinking that was a lot to spend then totted up ours.
We have the same tree and decs we've had for years and only buy new outfits as the DC grow out of them (or I get fatter...)
But still. I have 8 people on my side I give presents to, average of £25 each. Usually £50 ish on DH and each DC. Round up for a bit extra and odds and ends and that's £400.
Then food as we always host. Probably £100-150 over what I'd be spending in a normal week.
DH buys for his side, me and also gets bits for DC. Also probably around £400 and then he buys a load of nice wine. So that's over £1000 between us.
But I spread the cost through the year, I buy things when I find something good for someone and put aside £50 each month to do so, so it never feels like a big hit in December.

I haven't done it yet was seeking advice whether that would be insane

It's the case for my Christmas, but it wouldn't have to be if you don't want it to be. I spend a lot in the run-up on festive trips and things to do because I enjoy that.

The thing I really love about Christmas is having quality famly time, playing games, watching films and just being together in that lovely Christmas bubble.

No

Well you have had a lot of replies, so what do you think that you will do now?

You say this like you have no choice in the matter?

But is this really necessary?
I do think you are getting carried away.
For example a wreath might be a nice extra if you can afford it, but you have already said you will be dipping into savings.
You also mention your children being teens which is going to cost you more on presents. They are also less likely to get excited about decorations and wreaths on the door.
In the past I have made a wreath at a class because it was a fun social activity to do and I found someone running it at a reasonable price. This year it's just too expensive so I'm not doing it. To be fair a couple of years ago it was wet and windy and it blew off the door as I hadn't secured it well enough, so it's really not an essential or worth the hassle 😂

I think I will reconsider how I decorate, and rethink some of the gifts I wanted to buy. I want to lower the cost by a few hundred at least