The cost of Christmas

[Abby23]

I’m just curious to find out how much we have all spent this year on Christmas?.

Considering the state of the economy, are we spending less?, or the same?

Probably spent more on gifts but bought less - because I spent on better quality items and cut out the small stocking filler items that usually get tossed to the side after Xmas day.

Other than that, we had the usual days out, meals out and spends.

Hasn’t felt huge this year because ds is older and because I’m giving dp big presents for a significant birthday in 2026 so his Christmas presents weren’t huge. If I add up postage, two Christmas trees, food/drink and all presents, plus one £100 item of clothing I bought for socialising, I’m going to say £1k on top of normal spending, spread over about 4 months.

We’ve spent about £1200. We save £100 a week from beginning of September and use that. (This savings is our holiday fund pot Jan - Aug).
Kids have had about £250 (adult) £350 (teen) each on gifts.
Family gifts probably £600
My mum does Christmas Dinner so no expense there.
Were probably spent a bit more on treat food but not more than £100.

Around 4/4.5K which is usual for me - 1 child, cooked for my wider family, I’m very generous with gifts. However I recognise this needs to be reduced in future years- hoping to spend 3K next year

About £1150 all in. I cut back massively this year as last year was about £2.5k all in. I have 3 dcs they got about £200 each spent. Me and dh spent £250 between on us on gifts for each other (stuff we both love but don't buy except Christmas such as my favourite perfume for me). Food for Christmas and alcohol was about £180. Then other bits and bobs plus outings made the rest up. I have started saving for next year now.

I have a budget spreadsheet. We budgeted and spent £2000. Kids around £500 each for gifts and stockings, DH and I about £400-500 between us, of the remaining £500-600, we had gifts for wider and family and friends, around £250, the turkey etc was about £80, then just misc Christmas gubbins (panto, Santa workshop, postage for stuff) plus our usual family fun budget was used for a couple of Christmas events too.

20% more than usual - mainly on DC gifts as they are now teens and turns out they cost more!
We don't buy new decs but do get a real tree each year.

I put £75 a month away so £900. £700 of this was on presents for DH, 3 adult kids, and 6 adult in-laws. The other £200 went on food for the entire festive period.

Our budget for gifts was the same as last year so I guess people got slightly less for the same money. Our food bill cost more due to price increases on most things. We haven’t visited the sales in person this year as no spare cash for things we don’t need but I have spent £20.00 online on half price Christmas pyjamas and jumpers for DC for next Christmas.

Much less

No Xmas break away which cost 1k+ last year
Smaller less presents
Less meals/Christmas nights out

BUT

Spent a lot on large house project in November and we have an expensive panto booked and Feb half term holiday. so offset somewhat

If I had not spent on house project I’d have put into pension

Around £1500 all in
Lots of days out and meals out
We save £100 a month for Christmas

Probably about 1k
£500 on gifts
£300 on food & wine
£100 on Christmas tree and decorations
£100 on a couple of lunches out

More on food and drink at home, less on presents/going out

1500 on gifts (kids, each other, relatives, friends)
300 Christmas experiences (panto, light shows, etc)
600 Eating out
300 Christmas food shop
800 NY getaway

Never replace seasonal decor but normally add to it every year

All paid for on a credit card and immediately paid off with wages/savings. Christmas is our favourite and we don't spend like this at any other poin**t in the year

Not much, about £100 per child and a bit extra on a nice meal. We don’t give gifts to wider family. Everyone is happy

about £2500. I save for it monthly and don't go over budget.

We have new dgc so that kept the presents amount up. But I was conscious to not buy any new decorations or clothes. We didn’t overbuy food. In the sales I just bought some candles (which I use all the time) and a pair of pjs, so I’m quite pleased.

No idea - I never set an exact budget for Christmas or add up what I've spent afterwards. We were hosted for 5 days (in 2 different households), so didn't need to do a big Christmas food shop, but bought plenty of booze and some food to take. We will have spent quite a bit on petrol (family live 4-6 hours away).

Present-wise, I buy for 5 adults and 2 teens. Dh buys for his side of the family. I tend to spend £40-50 on each. Plus Dh and I spend about £100 on each of our 2 dc. We are hosting for NYE and there will be 12 of us. That will probably cost us about £200 including drink (people will bring booze too).

@Brassknucks My dc have the EB sacks, they are lovely. And I have some mugs.

I think around £3k which is depressing as I don’t particularly enjoy it and now feel fat and exhausted. That represents around £2k presents and £1k food/booze. Half probably went on credit cards. This is much more than previous years but everything is so much more expensive this year and we like to treat our adult DC with nice presents.

We went away, about £26k

<awaits the flames>

I know it will attract hate, but I think it does the UK a disservice to feed the narrative that the whole country is broken Britain.

We've been cutting back but more for practical reasons than anything else. We stopped buying so much food because we then feel we need to eat it and always end up regretting it in January - now we do enough to feel indulged but not stuffed like gluttons, we're been buying a lot less Christmas chocolate favoured palm oil chocolate mainly because it tastes like oil. We're stopped buying presents for as many family members to avoid the annual exchange of tat that no-one really wanted.

I don’t think this thread suggests Britain is broke at all.

We spent 3k last year and closer to 2k this year. Kids still had loads and we have 3 December birthdays.

Britain as a country is broke, the British people individually aren't broke because of the welfare state!

I know it will attract hate, but I think it does the UK a disservice to feed the narrative that the whole country is broken Britain

I’m not sure why a MNs thread would be indicative that Britain is broken or not?