Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

How much is your Christmas budget?

81 replies

DrSausagedog · 17/10/2015 08:57

I've decided to sit down and try to plan a rough Christmas budget later today, to hopefully keep me a bit on track with how much we spend over Christmas.

So far, I have already bought tickets to quite a few Christmas activities and days out so need to tot the total cost of those up, plus make a breakdown for gifts for everyone, Christmas Day food, drink, crackers etc as we have both sides of the family round, as well as other things such as any new decorations as its the small things that add up. Have I forgotten any other important spending categories?

Out of interest, does anyone else keep track in a similar way or has started a budget yet? I'd be very interested if anyone is happy to share and am happy to share mine later when it's completed.

OP posts:
InMySpareTime · 21/10/2015 10:37

Probably a couple of hundred pounds.
I get most of the stocking fillers and presents from charity shops, big ticket and new stuff mostly comes from relatives or we wait for the sales.
No Christmas work "do" for me as I'm self-employed, DH's is paid by work. No guests over Christmas, just the four of us, just a slightly fancy roast chicken with a couple of trimmings.
Same decorations from the box every year, and the advent calendar is full of Advent tasks (fun stuff to do together - decorate the house/make Christingles/make gingerbread/post Christmas cards/say " Merry Christmas " to a stranger etc).
We have a lovely but frugal Christmas time.

Ragwort · 21/10/2015 11:53

Purple - I guess it is because I think gaming is a complete waste of time - (fully aware that I will now get flamed Grin) and not a very 'worthy' thing to do. DS has saved up himself to buy a PS and he buys a couple of games a year from birthday/Christmas money. He does have other hobbies/interests so I would prefer to spend my money on treating him to sports equipment etc. Also, he knows that we save a fair amount for his future - we started a pension plan when he was born Blush and he seems to appreciate that we are saving for his future university costs etc

Both DH and I are quite frugal, not that we don't lead a comfortable life style but we have never been big on 'gratuitious spending' - that's enabled us to pay off our mortgage, have sensible pension plans and decent savings. I've just never 'got it' when people say they love to see the excitement when children wake up to a huge pile of presents on Christmas day - I know that sounds pious but I am just giving an honest reply. Smile.

Wilhamenawonka · 21/10/2015 12:33

About £200 here spread over 6 months which includes presents, food and hopefully a trip home to see my parents.

Grumpyoldblonde · 21/10/2015 12:53

I spend loads, I don't really know how much but possibly £2.5 k if you include extra petrol, trips out, new clothes for the parties and so on, maybe a little more than that but I love Christmas, hate winter so Christmas gives me a focal point during this difficult (for me) time of year. I am extravagantly frugal if you like, I will always look for best price, offers, cashback, use extra points and what-not and I know I could do a much cheaper Christmas if I had to. Our family is small, and getting smaller sadly and I want luxury and indulgence and lights and nice smells and a pretty home. I like to be extravagant just this one time of year as we live comfortably but modestly the rest of the time.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 21/10/2015 13:02

Thanks for explaining Ragwort it's interesting to see other peoples' perspectives. I'm very much a spend it when you've got it person Blush but we don't have that much money anyway!We do give the DC as much as we can, but they're not "spoiled" and appreciate everything they have. Tbh a lot of it comes from my DHs perspective of not growing up with very much so he over compensates Smile You sound like you have a very sensible attitude to money. I hope your DC inherit it!

Re Christmas, I find that as my DC get older, the presents get ever smaller yet more expensive Grin

Artandco · 21/10/2015 13:08

Also I honk what people buy at Xmas can sway costs a bits. Some people spend £200 on toys, where as some spend £200 but that includes some toys but also things like new clothes, books, toiletries. The second is spending the money and getting other things, the first will need to spend more money on top in the year buying those essentials

Artandco · 21/10/2015 13:10

Not honk! Think!

Nevergoingtolearn · 21/10/2015 13:14

Dc1-£300 ( lap top and a few small gifts )
Dc2-£200

Food- £100
Family gifts- £50
Teacher gifts-£20

Decorations ( a new tree ) £50

If I can keep everything under £1000 I will be happy.

onemouseplace · 21/10/2015 13:19

I put £75 a month into a savings account for Christmas, so £900 in total. That covers all presents, advent calendars, decorations, tree, wrapping paper, food and booze.

The only thing it doesn't cover is Christmas treat outings, so I guess it would be another £150 on top? I'm taking DD to the ballet this year which was pretty expensive (I wanted to get good seats as it's her first time) and then we'll try and do a Santa as well.

Ragwort · 21/10/2015 13:39

Thanks Purple - how nice to exchange opinions in such a civil and polite manner Smile.

lavendersun · 21/10/2015 14:00

This is Christmas, Ragwort Grin, I got some mega rude replies when I said I didn't allow 'games' in AIBU, apart from Chess on my iPad and garage band.

But chess is a game Lavender isn't it? Do you feel very superior telling us your DD only plays chess Grin.

Of course I walked away from it, my life is far too short but your not useful/worthy struck a massive chord!

I think we are have a few similarities tbh! DD buys premium bonds when her pocket money tin gets to £50 Blush.

MashaMisha · 21/10/2015 14:10

I have no idea, and am quailing a bit at the thought of working it out.

We have several day trips planned, which will involve buying food/drinks/entry fees/rides etc.

DH will have a work Christmas party, possibly more than one, so probably the cost of a couple of meals out, plus drinks.

DD will have a class Christmas party, and we will have to provide some party food and a secret santa present, and hopefully we can contribute to a joint class present for the teacher rather than have to think of something for ourselves.

We are having Christmas at home, no guests this year, so only buying food and drink for 4 people. We won't buy loads of alcohol as it's just us, probably just champagne and a couple of extra, slightly nicer than normal, bottles of wine, so perhaps won't spend a massive amount more than we would for a normal week's shopping.
We'll all go out for a big family lunch at a nice restaurant, already booked - I'm budgeting roughly £100 for that.

Presents will be quite a big expense. Probably we will spend around £300 on the two DC between them, then maybe another £200-£300 on presents for everyone else - friends, family etc.

Christmas tree, maybe a few new christmas decorations, things like advent calendars, candles, christmas cards, gift wrap etc - I'd hope that would be under £100, but I do like to get a nice bushy real tree.

I think probably a ball park figure of £1000 would cover it Shock

Letustryagain · 21/10/2015 15:23

Our budget varies as we book and buy things throughout the year.

We paid for the nativity at the local farm activity centre back in August and we've also booked for the Polar Express and paid back in June.

I bought nearly all of our adult presents for family (including adult nieces and nephews) in Boots on Boxing Day, half price and have bought throughout the year for the DCs in our family. As for our DD, we're not doing too much in quantity this year because she's got so much 'stuff' and it doesn't get played with because there's nowhere to store it so other than one doll and a few books/chocs/clothes/DVDs, she's getting a TV/DVD as her main pressie. We have £200 set aside that we've pulled together through the year and £600 saved (£50 a month - we've been doing this Xmas saver for years) for everything else.

Dinner is at DParents this year so no food costs - phew!

sirphlebas · 23/10/2015 11:48

I've been doing mine this morning. £1500 maximum.

That includes:
advent calendars
4 dc stockings & presents (£400)
small gift for dh/me
family presents on both sides (9 adults, 3 kids)
wrapping
Christmas tree & miscellaneous decorations
secret santas for work & school
hostess gifts (my mum & MIL)
Christmas work party
extra petrol
food & alcohol
... and three December birthdays Shock

If there's anything left over I'd like to get a new dress (unlikely!).

I don't do Christmas cards & my parents & PIL do Christmas trips (Father Christmas & the ballet) with the children so we don't! It is my brother's turn to do new year which will save us couple of hundred. I spread the cost over 4 months generally though try to pick up a few bits over the year.

feathershoes · 23/10/2015 14:29

I don't have a budget as such, but usually spend around £800 or so, and that's for everything.

mrdaddypig · 23/10/2015 21:32

food/drink £
gifts for 3 dc £
new clothes £
tree
approx spend £800

Oly5 · 24/10/2015 19:09

I daren't add it up, but I imagine about £1,500 all in

toddlerwrangling · 25/10/2015 00:28

I probably spend about £200 on presents for family members, either 10, 20 or 30 pounds per person depending on who it is; then an additional c. £30-35 on best friend and £65-70-ish on DH, and usually around £120 on DD, which seems to be an average kind of amount, by which I mean more than some kids but less than lots of others...

DD will be just 3, so about half of the 120-ish will go on a main present from Father Christmas - this year a mini micro scooter I think. The rest goes on stocking fillers (about 20 pounds), and bits and pieces from us which include some books, a dress or clothes, and some cheap but cheerful toys: this year things like an inflatable globe and jingle bells/harmonica/tambourine from ELC, some play-doh, a corduroy soft toy dog from Tiger, an Orchard Toys game. (These are all inexpensive but fun - the soft toy dog was £3 and so was the inflatable globe - and I buy them on 3-for-2 and half price offers during the year and stash away to spread the cost and just when I see something in a sale DD hasn't got or would like.) Oh and this year a scooter helmet! (Now that is expensive :/)

I also buy small things for a few friends' toddlers - normally just a book and small toy - choc coins, choc santa or bubble mix - and I get lots of books via book sets on The Book People or The Works when I see good deals, so the toddler presents don't cost me a lot, but let's say another £10 in all. I also buy for one family friend who has been sending me presents since I was small - normally wine or a book and some chocolates, so another £10-ish.

In these Christmas budgets I always see people talking about family and friends but does no-one else have other present costs too, like for work? I buy some chocolates for the lovely cleaner who does my office, and we also are expected to give some money or wine to our company support and admin staff which then gets divided up. I also buy some wine and chocolates for my home cleaner - we are by no means well off but we scrimp on treats to afford to pay a cleaner for a few hours a week - we both work shifts and with a toddler as well it makes a huge difference to our stress levels. (My dad is a classic baby boomer with good pension and mortgage free house and he gives their cleaner a £50 Christmas box but we really can't afford that! I feel guilty giving the cleaner just some fizz and chocs in comparison and wonder if she expects more and what other people do :/)

All in all, with family, best friend, DH, DD, kids presents and so on, all the presents probably cost at least £460; then stamps for Christmas cards about £20 (!!! Heavens, must switch to email next year); and topping up on wrap/cards/decorations/sellotape/advent calendars about another £20 (I normally buy one or two decorations each year). I buy cards, wrapping paper and gift tags in the January sales and keep a stash (John Lewis sale is great for this!) but seem to always need to buy something on top. I also try to do a few shoeboxes for a shoebox appeal (NOT OCC/Samaritan’s Purse, but a project which sends shoeboxes of new women’s and children’s toiletries to local women’s refuges.)

So that's over £500 before we even buy any Christmas food, book any outings or anything....!!!! I do spread the cost throughout the year by buying early and in sales and stashing away, but that also requires lots of thought (and storage space) so it can be a bit of a pain. I fantasise about one year buying absolutely nothing and just going to John Lewis and Boots on Christmas Eve and buying everyone a gift voucher ;)

This year we're spending Christmas day with my parents so they will buy all the food, but we'll bring some things, like wine, a pannetone and something to make for a pudding. But there are loads of extra costs on top of that £500 - we get a real Christmas tree, we might go out for dinner a couple of times which we don't normally do, we might take DD to the theatre and just generally drink more or have more nice food over the season....

eurochick · 25/10/2015 10:45

Ive never tried to add it up.

Probably 300 on the Xmas food shop, maybe 100 more on booze.

100-200 on our daughter.
Maybe 200 on each other - it varies.
100 on each set of parents.
100 on my bil's family.
100-200 in total on friends and various children.
30x2 on Xmas parties, plus several rounds as I am senior now and it is expected.
Not sure yet about my seccy and trainee - I'm in a new firm and not sure what the norm is here

Ouch!

gingerdad · 25/10/2015 11:04

£600 for presents
£15 for tree - get a real one from local farm.
Going to inlaws for XMAS day so will be just cheese course and wine

Other than that don't spend any extra on shopping.

We have a savings account we run for Christmas.

Kitella · 25/10/2015 11:45

Probably it easily tops 1.5k

This year dD1 is getting a laptop (just started secondary, getting lots of online homework) and dd2 is getting a tv and DVD player. So that's £500 gone.

Other main gifts for DDs £200. But that includes things they need. For example, DD1 has just started a new squad - the outfit is compulsory so we'll buy her that for Christmas. But that costs £75.

Christmas stockings £200 - but again that includes essentials like clothes, New slippers, annual supply of underwear plus treats like new books, a DVD, cd etc...

DH £100
My parents and brother £75 each
Best friend and her children £50
Other family £40 (tins of biscuits etc)
Teachers £25
DH sorts out his family, I have no idea what he does...

We go to my parents Christmas Day, so don't buy big food, but often host NYE and have a Christmas party for friends. Alcohol and food for party and Christmas period £250

Then we just need a Christmas tree £50 and tickets to the panto £75.

However, I buy throughout the year, put in about £200 a month during the latter part of the year, and save points throughout the year. I have over £200 in cash back from topcashback, debit card, Sainsburys, Tesco and my Boots cards.

We also don't spend much on birthday presents, as they're just before Christmas, so birthday presents tends to cost £50 max.

VinoTime · 25/10/2015 17:48

Oh god, so much. I'm not sure I want to work this out! I'm one of the mad Christmas people you hear about on the news.

In the run up we do a lot of trips and Christmas type things. This year we have:

  • Local town Christmas market. Going is obviously free but we usually spend around £40 on rides, food, tree decorations and a few bits from stalls.
  • Work nights out x 2 (meal and drinks) - £70
  • The Nutcracker at a local puppet theatre - £30
  • Weekend trip to Manchester (panto, Christmas markets and a visit to the circus) - £188
  • Hamleys I met Father Christmas ticket + travel = £35
  • Trip into George Square to go ice skating (based on last years prices + travel) - £30
  • Cinema trip - £20
  • Christmas Grotto at a local World Heritage site - £22

Total: £435

Presents:

DD's presents + stocking - £350
Immediate family budget (7 people) - £180
Friends and family (mostly children, 9 people) - £75
Secret Santa at work - £10
Dog and Cat - £10
Cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, stamps, postage - easily £50

Total: £675

Christmas decorations. We get new bits every year. Have already spent £20, plus we need a new wreath for the door this year and our Christmas tree lights were on their final twinkle last year, so they'll all need replaced. I'm probably looking at another £50-ish atm.

Total: £70

We host Christmas Eve so I'll budget £20 for that and just make a big pot of homemade soup, some soda bread rolls and buy wine, mince pies and cream from Lidl.

  • Christmas PJ's, clothes for Christmas and Boxing day for us both and a new outfit for work do's - budget £100-150.

Overall total: an eye watering £1350

That's obviously with everything at the top end of the budget, which it won't be. My bargain hunting will bring the actual total right down, but I always make sure I have more to play with just in case.

We've also booked Disneyland Paris for February as our post Christmas cheer up, which unfortunately needs to be paid off in early December Sad That will easily be £1K all in. Ouch!

DrSausagedog · 26/10/2015 09:35

Thanks for all the replies. I find it really interesting, it gives me inspiration for other things to try at Christmas and reminds me of things I haven't accounted for yet on my spreadsheet- eg new clothes for parties, gift for cleaner and assistants at work.

I deliberately posted on here rather than on Chat (or, heaven forbid AIBU), in the hope that it would stay non judgemental. We are lucky that we are fairly comfortably off, though far from rich, and never get into debt or anything to pay for Christmas season spends.

I identify very much with a PP (grumpy blonde I think) who said that Christmas is a time that brightens up the dark winter. For me, it's very much more than a day, I love all the planning, anticipation from late September onwards really. We usually go for a Christmas markets break abroad or in the UK at end of November, then put the tree up as soon as we return from that and the outings spaced throughout December mean that it's a whole month of festive fun which I am happy to spend out on. We spend more on the experiences than we do on presents and I prefer it that way as the memories of the experiences provide lasting pleasure.

Some people spend a couple of hundred, others several thousand, who am I to judge?

OP posts:
DeepBlueLake · 26/10/2015 10:51

Presents:
£50-75 on toddler DS.
£25 on DH
£25 on my mum
£50 on PIL.
£50 for SIL.
£25 on BIL and his wife.
£50 for my family.
£10 each for my niece and nephew.
£200ish on friends and friends dc.
£20 to key workers
£20 on cards, wrapping etc
= £450 and thats not including postage to my friends in NZ..

Food:
£200ish as we're hosting 11 of us this year + various family members over the Christmas period and have family staying.

Activities:
£100 for my and DH Christmas do
£30 for visiting santa.
£100 on other activities like ice skating etc as kiwi I like to splash out on the winter activities.
£100 for Christmas parties
=£200

Add in another £50 for Christmas decs, petrol, christmas crackers, booze etc

Grand total = £1000...

kavv0809 · 26/10/2015 10:58

This is a lovely thread, everyone very accepting of our differences.

I enjoy the experience of Christmas and like it to last a couple of weeks as well plus I drag out incessantly extend the planning over the autumn and winter months which works for me, as others have said I find it a hard time otherwise.

DH is not Christmassy at all but makes the effort for me and the DDs.

We reuse decorations and tree etc so nothing there.

Presents are the bulk for us I think. I usually spend:

  • £100 for both siblings, usually makeup or vintage finds
  • £50 on parents,
  • £100 on all four nephews and nieces, toys and clothes and gadgets
  • £80-£120 each on DD1 and DD2. They are still little though, both under six, so it produces a big pile of toys and books, and then I get the fear and put some of them aside for their birthdays instead. I should consider adding practical things like clothing to the list as it is pure fun stuff at the moment.
  • Then a further £100-150 on DH and him the same on me. I am a big child and love a pile of presents and he likes tickets to things or money towards bigger items so it works well for us.
  • For godchildren and friends children £60 total again toys and gadgets
  • Then cleaner and nursery and teaching staff plus other tips like lovely butcher who keeps us the good meat and my fav hairdresser who I don't tip for the rest of the year etc £60 total.

Bloody hell. That's a lot on presents.

We don't host but usually buy the meat so £40 ish.

Then trips here and there, Santa, Christmas wonderlands etc, another £200? And petrol on top £100.

I thought it would be a lot but that surprises me at over £1000 given we don't have much food or hosting expense. I am a big planner, but what I call 'budgeting' is actually more keeping track of what I get and making sure it's at a good price than setting a limit and sticking to it.

We are not well off by any means but I love Christmas and we never get into any debt, I set it aside throughout the year now.

Swipe left for the next trending thread