Is anyone else worried about how much christmas is going to cost this year

[Wicca123]

I love Christmas and have made a start already....but can't help wondering how much more expensive it will be this year, with the cost of living the way it is. Is anyone else slightly worried?

now is a good time to have conversations with extended family about cutting back on gift expectations or changing traditions . Perhaps only buying for kids. Maybe drawing names so all the adults get one present. Setting price limits. The right solution varies with each group. Doing it now may seem early, but plenty of people start shopping early to spread out the expense so it’s really not to soon to have the conversation.

I might suggest a family adult secret Santa, but as we're the poor ones everyone else might not go for it.

Not much money (and 5 immediate family birthdays in December!) means I've done a £10 limit per person for the past few years, and I gift handmade stuff where possible - and I don't care if people think homemade is naff! It's cheap to bake someone's favourite sweet treat or make some jam or sloe gin and then put a ribbon around it for a pretty, consumable present.

Kind of. The kids had far too much stuff last year between everyone buying gifts so we're going to scale back anyway.
This year kids are on £50 approx limit, DH and I don't go mad for each other. Stockings will just be a few odds and ends (nice necessities and socks) ILs are low-key anyway so they are grateful for small but thoughtful gifts. my parents know we've had to cut back a lot anyway because of our circumstances.
Only one niece for us and one of my siblings.
Don't go mad on food, just a few extra bits and nicer products than usual. We don't drink but will get some nice adult mixers. We do have steak which is our treat. Dinner with in-laws on Boxing Day.
Already have decorations and we'll just wear what we have or second hand for the kids.

But adults worrying about how to pay for things doesn’t cause severe anxiety?
I am a parent and I know my kids would rather have heat/ food than Christmas traditions that I can no longer afford .

Your kids shouldn't see you worrying about money, they should have no cencept of money really. You should not be dumping your adult responsabilities and stress on them - thats the ENTIRE point of what I posted.

But worrying about the cost of things going up and being less affordable and potentially buying less or planning better to maintain the same standard of previous Christmas's is hardly the same as actually worrying about affording to live. My kids have no idea I even think about money at Christmas, why would they? Just because someone is feeling it doesn't automatically mean they are communicating that to their children?

What a weird discussion. Thought these threads were to share the practicalities around Christmas, not low key shit on people for daring to wonder if they'll afford it.

I agree with this. I do not know why that poster is grateful not to be a Christian for though. All those who are saying it will be hard to cut back on gifts, food, etc. What is the alternative? Get into debt for it all, go without heating, madness! Children will survive without x amount of presents. It is down to parents not to buy into all the ridiculous commercialisation.

No, but we never go overboard and have a small family.

@LadyKenya well there is no feasible alternative. But people are allowed to say they are going to find it hard. The cost of living is hard. There is literally no alternative but to pay increases prices / cut back. It's hard. People are finding it hard. And should be allowed to talk about it.

The feasible alternative is to buy less surely? Why is it hard to cut back on gifts? No one is saying that the children should have nothing.

I think the point is...some people may be struggling to buy even 1 or 2 gifts for their children this year....not worrying about going overboard and getting into debt. For some, even the smallest of Christmases is going to be an extreme challenge, especially with young kids

It will cost the same as every other year, we will just cut our cloth accordingly. In lean times Christmas is less extravagant.
tbh we were moving towards more minimal presents, less food etc anyway. But I appreciate my children are no longer young (and most of them are no longer even children!) so it is easier to do that than it is for people with younger kids.

I love Christmas and we are fortunate that we are able to spend money on each other and on family, plus one or two friends. I responded to an OP's post about small or spectacular earlier and that broadly encompasses our view. I have been trying to get others we buy for/who buy for us to move away from tat. I don't want it for a million reasons; ethical, mental health, practical. We are getting there I think, although I have one friend who still gives me several (very) small items when I would much rather nothing or one thing which costs the same. It comes from a good place of course, and it's lovely she wants me to have things.

For each other we tend to upgrade things we would use otherwise - fancy jams (but flavours I know he likes, not random novelty shit!), chocolate, hot chocolate, coffee, bath and shower products. We both like different vintage things so there will often be second hand items - clothing, vinyl, books, kitchenware. We also do tickets for events.

I understand they're not new ideas and nor do they solve the problem for people who are struggling financially. Those of us who have some spare money do need to find a balance between not buying shit for shit's sake, and keeping businesses going where we can (I won't buy from Amazon for example, but I recognise I am lucky to have the choice to spend a bit more to buy things elsewhere).

But seriously, second hand.

Well said tentative3......totally agree !!!

How wonderful that would be, sadly it’s not the case for many children not just mine.

I'm sure the photos of mountains of presents and huge meal and excess chocolates on Facebook/instagram will still happen.

The same people who will then anonymously post on here (not on social media of course) that they're fat and skint in January.

Couldn't agree more

I don't celebrate Christmas but we have 10 family birthdays in December so I might as well tbh! Following this thread fir ideas. I'm keeping an eye on sales and will buy bargains when I see them. The adults have agreed on a £5 token gift so it's just the kids to buy for.

I always tuck money away every month, usually the child benefit. I use it for DS & dd birthday and Christmas. Christmas food is usually brought using reward points from sainsburys or co-op and I usually save my m &S vouchers from my credit card to pay for some food from M&S. My mum uses her credit card points to buy vouchers, usually love 2 shop ones. We’ve been doing it this way for years so nothing will change for us. DS birthday is 11 days after Christmas so save money for whatever birthday dinner he wants.

Someone up thread mentioned there daughter wanting a trampoline, I have just seen they are on Aldi special buys for £129.

@carefullycourageous do you have any tips you could share?

Scale back expectations, smaller and simpler meals, modest presents for all, for example.

I'm very aware of how costly Christmas gets and I'm looking for ways to make it easier this year.

Like PPs we're reducing the amount of gifts we buy (secret Santa is replacing gift buying in my family and DP's family) and now only buy for the little ones.

I still buy for DP and do most of the shopping for DS' gifts. I've put a price limit on both as DS will be 5 and I'm sure will be over the moon with anything he gets. I'm also using Vinted to pick up bargains here and there while I can.

Through my job I've got the option to put money away from my salary into a savings pot which is then paid out in November so I've started putting money away now to pay for food, drink and any treat snacks. This will also pay for the Secret Santa gifts.

I've just posted over on the Christmas Bargains prequel about the Amazon shopper panel app however have been told you have to be invited to join. Might be worth trying to get on the wait list as you get a £5 voucher each month for uploading 10 receipts.

It's also worth following the bargains thread as there are some great deals on there. I've been on it for 4 years now and have had some amazing purchases at up to 90% off!

So worried so we took advantage of The White Stuff sale.

Oxymoron there if ever I saw one!

Nope! I buy gifts throughout the year and in sales etc. we only really buy special food for Christmas dinner, but given that that's only a big Sunday roast it doesn't really cost much!