Treating ourselves to a huge Christmas blow out - how would you spend £1000?

[Christmas25]

Posting for traffic.

We have had a crappy year for various reasons so have decided we are going to go all out this year.

We have earmarked £1000 to spend for Christmas (ignoring presents) - how would you spend it? We’ve already ordered the Tom Kerridge beef wellington from M&S (not part of this budget), but I’d love to know what other things Mumsnetters would recommend. I don’t know where to start!

Donate some to a better cause

Some nice games a puzzle maybe a console to play family games on. Have a boxing day buffet and invite everyone round to yours.
It depends what you want out of the time. Family time and making memories with kids. Getting together with friends what would make it a goos christmas for you

Yeah, I'm one of those COL people struggling to afford Christmas, and I have absolutely no problem with this thread. It's fun to read. Why would I begrudge someone else a decadent Christmas if they've got the means? Or should she send the £1000 to me?

(Don't do that OP.... I think you should go for the lobster on Christmas Eve thing!)

The north is habitable you know!! 😂😂😂

I was given £150 from a client as a bonus, with instructions to spend it on something nice for Christmas. I’ve decided to forgo the usual quality streets and roses and have splurged half of it on posh chocolates. I’m going to steal PPs idea of fancy Christmas crackers for the rest

There is no need for beans AND toast just because it's Christmas. What a waste of money.

I’m sure this will get me flamed but posting in support of OP- spend what you have put aside and enjoy every mouthful! To eat out on Xmas day is £150 a head, plus service charge plus drinks- that’s up north where I am!
I have just bought food for Xmas eve, day, Boxing Day and possibly have enough for another day or so and it’s totalled £700.
I didn't’ think that I was going especially all out but I was shocked at just how much it was at the till and it doesn’t include veg/sides.
This was Costco so much bigger portions and sizes but £1000 is such a lot of money but easily spent.
I got;
4 bottles of wine (approx £15 each)
case of beer
large pork joint
Large ham
pate
smoked salmon
venison
steak
selection of nice cheeses and crackers
lindt chocolates
fruit
nice coffee
4 family ready meals
cleaning supplies
washing powder
dishwasher tablets
xmas pudding
pet food
tray of sandwiches
Sanitary protection

If you can get childcare, I would spend £300 - £400 of it on a night away and as you’re not up north can I suggest the hotel be in Oxford or London or Bristol. The rest on the best food you can get, maybe all from M&S?

😂 maybe splash out on fortnum and masons luxury beans?? Bet they are £25 a tin for 6 beans!

OP, you spend as you wish. Sometime we just need to do it!

This! Sounds amazing!

If you are blowing it on food and drink, good champagne, lobster, caviar, up market turkey with all the trimmings, really nice cheese selection, port, whatever spirits you like, £1,000 really doesn't go that far just enjoy.

I'd go for a deep clean of the house, which is probably about half the money.

A really good takeaway on Xmas eve instead of cooking. A general upgrade on food but I wouldn't want to spend hundreds more than usual.

I'd probably buy a new TV so that my parents could see and hear it well over Xmas, as they always struggle and our TV is quite old and small. That might come first and see what's left!

I can’t believe this thread has made it to page 8 without someone saying how they couldn’t possibly manage £1000 worth of food with their dainty, bird like appetite and how everyone else must be so big they can barely roll over in bed to consider such gluttony 😁

I’d really like a fancy seafood platter but we have shellfish intolerance so it would feel shellfish to buy one, but I could if I had money to spare 😊 I’ve spent loads of money on tickets this year and we have a panto, a classical music concert. an acrobatic show, a light display and a vr experience booked between xmas and new year. Beans or toast will be waiting in January

Probably one of these
https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/grand-chocolate-wreath-box.html

Nothing wrong with up North 😂

Indeed. The NW has Booths!

Do you have matching family Christmas PJs’ or sweaters? (PJ day on Xmas is my fave but only done it twice, during lock down). But the DC’s one s size up so you can all wear them next year too, so they will be something you can keep and remember this year?

One year for a laugh I bought a reindeer onesie… still give it an outing to make the kids (now 17 and 20) an opportunity to take the piss…

Perhaps some outdoor decorations to bling the front drive up?

Hire a private chef to come and cook for you for rhe day.

seriously though, I think with two weeks to go you’re cutting it a bit fine, as most good food needs to be ordered.

The budget really wouldn’t stretch to this surely? Christmas dinner for seven at a fancy hotel alone would be a struggle for a grand, never mind the overnight!

the fancy hotel near me is £200 a head for adults and £160 for children on Christmas Day!

Cleaner, window cleaner, bin cleaner!!!

I hope you have a wonderful time whatever you decide to do.

Kennedy home made chocolates for chocs or proper artisan...

What’s your favourite tipple? Champagne? Whiskey? Vodka? Lovely wine? Buy some really nice booze!

We would do light trails, theatre and get some more Christmas lights/extra food and drinks.

I have also had a rough time lately but financially we're currently secure (for which I am immensely thankful), so I have bought quite a lot of decent wine from an NZ vineyard that we visited a couple of years ago. Other than that, DH has already suggested that we could upgrade from our usual supermarket to Waitrose/M&S (I wish we had Booths). I'm about to put up slightly unhinged amounts of Christmas lights all over the house so will need to save some money for the electric bill!