Is anyone else not doing Christmas this year for financial reasons.

[carernotasaint]

DH and i have decided not to do presents this year due to financial changes. Got a letter today outlining the council tax changes for next year. What with that and other changes and cuts we just cant do it. So DH and i wont be contributing to the retail economy in the run up to this Christmas. We are also sending less cards due to stamps shooting up earlier this year. We are basically doing cards for family and my best friend and thats basically it.
Sorry Mr Cameron but dont look to us to contribute towards the retail figures this Christmas. You cant have it both ways.

Won't be doing much. A normal roast dinner. Few presents for dc. Cards I have from the sales.

Need a new tree. But will scale down. Each year I 'lose ' a Christmas item from the list

Nuts to crack... Gone
Crackers to pull... Gone
Tree chocs...gone

Last year, poinsettia....gone

This year, not sure yet

Dont blame you. I think the last time i bought crackers was 1997. I love poinsettias but my cats stomach doesnt so thats out too. Ive never bought nuts. My parents used to but they just sat there in the bowl not being eaten so even they gave up after a while. Small one bedroom flat so dont have room for tree. God i sound like a miserable cow.

Why does everyone think you need money to do Christmas?!?

1. Crash someone else's Christmas dinner so you don't have to pay for the groceries.

1. Get Grandparents to buy the presents, then explain to the kids they are presents from grandparents and parents :)

Every year I go to parents or grandparents, therefore have never actually had to pay for Christmas

My sibling and I have decided to put all of our names in a hat and do a secret Santa type thing so we can spend a small amount on one person instead of little amounts on lots of people.

The kids will get small gifts this year.

I don't think I'll be putting up a tree or decs as I think it will all be in storage and we will be goodness knows where - temporary housing most likely. I will probably be with my mum this year though. But I'm trying not to even think about it just now!

You are missing the point of Christmas if you think it's about spending lots of money.

Make decorations.
Put aside a bit of money each week between then and now to buy some extras.
Keep an eye out for bargain presents (just for the DCs), buy toys from an NCT Nearly New sale etc. and stash them for Christmas.
Stay in, watch TV, go for walks. Tell Christmas stories to each other. Go to church or a local carol service.
Have a lovely time.

what ClaireRacing said.

I stash small things throughout the year that I get in sales and pound shops for the kids. Ditto for the few adults that I get presents for. The kids make grandparents and other rellies their presents. These are usually far more appreciated than a bottle of bubblebath or whatever. I also try to get crafty during the year. Although I'm not finding much time to do that right now.

Grandparents buy 'big' presents (luckily they are usually desperate to do this)
I am in charge of cards - only 'oldies' and family get paper cards (and neighbours and friends - the kids love posting cards)

Theres a tree and decorations in the loft that get pulled out every year - I always buy two 'special' tree decorations in the January sales and these come out for christmas.

Foodwise - I dont fork out on a turkey, ever. too expensive. Food is therefore no more expensive than usual.

I cant say we contribute to a retail economy much more than usual in the festive season. but as parents of small children, theres no way we dont do christmas

This just sounds lika a bit of a flounce. Do what ever you want within your means. No neeed to bleat.

DD saves all year by buying stamps from Morrisons when she does her weekly shop and I supply all the fruit and veg and cook the Christmas day lunch for the family (12) during the year I buy prezzies for the DGCs when there are good sales on but from last year have decided to give DCs money in a card and a small prezzie for their houses,eldest DGCs also getting money this year and I put it in an envelope every week so there is not a huge outlay come December.

I have 4 children living at home so some effort Is necessary

I stopped buying lots of 'stockingfillers' .... The cost on those adds up. So foe past few years it's been one main present and 5 small presents in a stocking

Half of my lot are teens. Food means a lot to teens. They love a roast. So I make effort with that

I will be cutting back on cards too. I didn't receive cards from some relatives last year, so gives me an excuse to stop. Fortunately, DH can make use of his works internal post which goes to sites at different towns for some colleagues, and we deliver what we can by hand. Cards and crackers are very rarely bought at full price.

We put up the same tree and decorations, this will be our tree's 10th Christmas. Never saw the point of buying lots of new stuff in different colourways every year. I have a good browse around all the displays at shops and garden centres, and might possibly buy one thing! But only if I love it and the price is acceptable. I find that just looking is as satisfying as actually buying something, when I calculate how much I've saved by not doing so! I feel the same about new outfits to wear on Christmas day, unless it's a longed for gift from someone in which case it would be rude not to wear it. And new PJ's, dressing gowns and slippers, apparently all so that they will look nice in the photos according to my friend. But is that enough of a reason to justify overspending and running up debts I thought to myself, fine if you can afford it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with budgeting carefully and spending within your means.

Let GP's or aunties/uncles buy the DC advent calendars. I know tree chocs aren't essential, but you could wrap 5 choc buttons/dolly mixtures/mini jelly babies etc in twists of clingfilm and hang them on tree with a loop of thread, use to fill reusable advent calendars too, you could get quite big bags of sweets cheaply from Poundland, Aldi etc. They don't have to be Christmas sweets. You could also hang individual toffees on the tree (the ones in foil and coloured cellophane) with a thread loop attached, which look pretty and also bulk out very few decorations.

I plan menus for the Christmas period, mainly so that I don't have to puzzle my middle-aged brain about what to have, but also I can buy only what I need, and factor in use of leftovers. Keeps costs down because I don't waste it if there isn't excess to go off. We only have packets of ready shelled nuts here!t No relatives to go to or entertain at ours so just have a nice roast lunch at home.

Yeah it can be done cheaply at home.... It's the younger dc and school which can be a problem!

School fair
School disco
School party
Presents for teachers(?)
Cards for whole class
Possible outfit for school production
School/PTA present for parents that they do and we pay for!
Santa visit
Pantomime trip

What have I forgotten?

It's not so bad now I only have 2 under 12 but it's been chaos in the past!

Oh!
School Christmas dinner
Secret Santa for older ones
There is probably more...

Well Olympia, given all the Christmassy things you are forking out for the DC's perhaps they could work out ways of how to afford it all! But if they aren't bothered about the lack of crackers and tree chocs etc why waste your money on them just for the sake of tradition.

What's the 'tradition' bit?

I meant if it was something that you had always done previously at Christmas in your family.

Clare Racing i dont think its about spending lots of money. But other members of my family do. Ive also posted this in Chat and ive explained about it more there.

We never do much. Same old fake tree with decs from the loft, don't do cards (too lazy and think they are pointless), £70-80 per child (we have 2), never do presents for each other or rest of family or friends, on the day we take it in turns to host lunch and luckily this year is MILs turn so we will chip in for the food which will cost about £30 for all of us, bottle of wine for a fiver to take. Done. £200 max.

I think xmas is fun but I don't make a huge deal out of it except for the kids and I do that for free with visiting santas grotto and the elf on the shelf and advent calenders which are about £1 each.