How much are you spending on the whole christmas thing this year...

[ScoobyDoo]

Was wondering what others will be spending this includes all food shopping is well as presents?

As little as possible.

Have been scouring car boots etc for toys for the girls. DS will only be a max of 4 weeks old so we wont bother with him!

Relatives Im trying to get away with a max of £15 each (6 lots to buy for)

Food wise - its our first year doing christmas dinner this year, so are doing it cheap with Roast beef and the trimmings rather than a turkey.

Im hoping to bring it all in at under £350, and most of that will probably be the food!

We are lucky in that we dont drink, but Dad will be here over Christmas so will bring his own!

New Year is a different matter - I think that will cost me a fortune as being of Scots parents, New Year is a BIG thing for us, and with 3 little ones, we are hosting!

I have 5 dc they are having between a 100- 120 each on gifts and it dosent look a lot it adds up to about 6 decent gifts

Family is costing around 150

I need a new christmas tree thats 60

food shopping is usually around 140.00

I have done 2 of the dc and got some family gifts already so I'm not too worried but it is a big drain

Very little, am totally skint this year. Have been squirelling away little things I've found over the last few months for DD, but presents overall for her I'll pobably spend £40 - £50. We're going to my mums so won't buy any extra food wise. gifts for family will only be parents and niece, maybe £10 each.
I hate not having the money to really splash out at xmas

We need a tree is well not sure where to get it from though? have seen some in argos between £25 & £60.

I have already been collecting for the dc over the last few weeks.

So far dd has a doll which came with free wooden cradle from ELC, she also has a 4 in 1 easel thing on offer in woolworths cost about £11 & a look mummy i can swim doll.

Ds only has a spiderman water hand thing which was half price from toys r us at £5.

I am hoping to do all the rest as cheap as possible, the food will probably be about £130, we are at home this year just going to do roast chicken with all trimmings as don't like turkey.

It's hard doing it all on a budget, thats why i thought i would start early & buy something every week.

Need to get dss a man u football top with his name on the back this week while we may afford it.

Kids cost a bomb!

Presents for DSs - £250 - far more than I've ever spent before, but there are worthwhile things that they have asked for and I'd rather do that than £20 - £30 on junk.

Other presents - 7 nieces and nephews - about £10 - £15 each

Mums and dads - 3 x about £20 - £30

Dh and I - modest presents say £15 each

Friends - say £100

Christmas dinner - Free range turkey from local farm - £50 - say £20 for other 'trimmings', £30 for wine.

So about £700 altogether - but that doesn't include all the pre-Christmas get-togethers with friends and colleagues.

As for all realatives need to think of something cheap for them all not sure what yet though.

£100 per child (we have 5) 3 step kids and 2 of our own.

£100 on food

£100 on dh

£20 on nieces

£20 on parents

ScoobyDoo - what about making up hampers including some home made things?

I'm trying not to think about it atm. DD2 is 3 on dec 23rd as well and i have no ideas on what to get either of them. I'm going to make presents for family. Luckily they're too little to have a list of demands and should still be able to get away with a couple of small things. dd1 wants sylvanian families but it's horrendously expensive, even on ebay.

fortyplus - We did that last year for a few people & they loved it so probably do it again but do more home made things like biscuits, truffles pickles etc, what can i use to put the things in though that won't cost a bomb? found this cost the most last yr.

We did do dp's nan a big home made basket hamper i dressed it & everything she loved it, we made it extra special because it was 3 months after dp's grandad died so she was on her own

Dd also has a teletubby with a tv in it's tummy, i brought it off ebay for less than half the price of the shops, i have sold loads on here & loads on ebay & been trying to save the money to put towards christmas hopefully it will all pay off.

First Christmas alone is hard when someone has died Sounds as though she's lucky to have you to cheer her up

What about preserves? I once made one that used dried apricots, almonds and ginger.

You're not too late for Sloe gin if you hurry - home made is much nicer than shop bought. It's like alcoholic cough candy twists!

When we didn't have much money all the stocking fillers came from poundland. And children are so excited at Christmas - mine never minded inexpensive gifts. One year ds1's main present was a snooker/pool table from Woolies that cost £5 and he loved it so much he's still got it (nearly 14!)

Some great ideas fortyplue thanks

Oh my ds would also be more than happy with some little cheap stocking fillers, i have done dd just need to do the boys as they get older it gets harder i must say.

Just looked on the Woolworths website and they still do it - £5.99 now!

We don't do presents for brother/SIL or sister/BIL so just mum and the kids to buy for. My 3 kids will get about £50-£70 each (like, 1 computer game!) but I've also got to buy for 6 nieces and nephews, £10 max. Me and dh £50 max. each. We've also got 2 birthdays in jan and 2 in feb, so we're skint for months.

This year we have saved £300 for food and drink (we are catering for the family again this year) and £400 for toys for my boys. We all only buy for the kids, so I have got my neice a new mobile phone with music and polyfiller ringtones and teleport button and jedi-sword function. Oh, and it brings you a cup of tea in the morning and tells you you're pretty.

Or something.

I don't know if it can actually make phone calls, but I have been informed that doesn't even matter.

And a £100 float for anything unexpected.

And I am CHUFFED TO BITS!!!!! Because we struggled through the last 2 years with NOWT.

food £250 inc drinks
dd1 £100
ds £200
dd2 £30
6 siblings £10-30 each
parents £50 each
dh £100

After years of buying little bits of plastic fillers I have decided to not buy masses of stuff and buy one or two decent presents each that will be played with for definate.

So although I spent £200 on de he only has three pressies a thomas train and track and an iggle piggle thingy and a torch.
Dd1 has got a digital camera and a couple of singstar games and a sleepover hamper I made up.
Dd2 is a baby so just a soft book, talking ted and activity cube plus we are wrapping up her highchair that we bought a while back.

Then in each of their stockings are toiletries toothbrushes and essentials.

My siblings are all younger than I and the littlest only 10 so cant get away with some beer or a bottle of wine yet lol

The eldest sib and I will go halves on the parents pressies and my dh got stuff for the house lmao.

So although it looks like a lot it doesnt really seem like it.
Oh and we are hosting this year which has bumped up the food bill.

DH - £30
My mum/MIL - £40 each
DD - £40
My father/FIL - £30 each
BIL/SIL - £10 each

Food - don't really know, my parents and PIL will be together, so food will be split 3 ways. Say about £30. (R14 to the £)

Not a great amount as we have just had a new kitchen

ds3 (7 months) £15 - bob toy and a book
ds2 (age 4) £50 max - no idea what
ds3 (age 6) as above

Family tend to make a list of what to get so we get what we think they want and not random crap!

dh - £50
nephews and niece £10 each
parents £25 each
food - as normal really plus a turkey and extra drinks!

We don't buy for our own brothers or sisters - just the kids andour parents.

I think we are leaving out brothers & sisters this year but may make them a homemade hamper or something small if we can afford it.

Our food shopping will be the same as normal but will get a few drinks & special snacks plus a chicken, will also be buying all dd's nappies etc.

All depends on our finances though & bills to be honest.

not worked it out yet but probably 400 quid on gifts
my parents are hosting so they'll be doing the food but we'll bring wine

on everything probably round about £500-750.

I'm at £380 already and still have a few things to get and thats not including food although we don't tend to go overboard with that.