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Original poster

total christmas cost?

209 replies

giveyourselfashiny · 01/01/2012 10:01

How much have u spent in total for Christmas? I'm thinking about starting saving for next yr and just wondered how much people actually spend? I know I spend more than I think cause I buy bits over the yr, but in total, for everyone for everything inc food, drink and night out we have prob spent 600! Which is mental, and will be coming down next year!

OP posts:
rubyrubyruby · 02/01/2012 13:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bonsoir · 02/01/2012 14:01

Not much on presents, as we don't go in for lots and lots of stuff. DD got a new bicycle from us, and some dolls house furniture and a few trinkets from FC. We went away for five days to a hotel, and spent quite a lot on rooms, restaurants and shows.

Xenia · 02/01/2012 14:01

I don't think my post below was contradictory. First of all I said it's all relative so what someone spends isn't comparable. If you earn £100k and someone else £15k what is a lot for one is not a lot for the other.

Secondly I was saying I don't think giving lots of physical possessions is really good to make the focus of Christmas. I can certainly see someone debating whether my children should instead have had the money from the skiing holiday to spend on computer games and suggesting that is just as immoral of course although I would argue that experiences, the time in church there etc was probably better for them.

"I paid for a skiing holiday for 6 to France over Christmas, but not sure if that counts. It's all relative. The important issue is whether someone is living within their means.

Christmas is about giving and religion. People who make it about acquiring material possessions need to spend longer on their knees and sort their values out."

MarianneM · 02/01/2012 14:17

I think you are absolutely right Xenia, but your thoughts go against the contemporary gospel of rampant consumerism so people get defensive if anyone questions what they so wholeheartedly believe in.

PosieParker · 02/01/2012 14:18

Well it's not about religion for us, but no point starting 2012 being stupidly broke because you overspent on Christmas.

PosieParker · 02/01/2012 14:21

Hmm....how can anyone earning a fortune be against consumerism? Really? Without market forces noone would be able to afford to pay Xenia for her work.

nagynolonger · 02/01/2012 14:23

I would think an holiday over Christmas would count. In some ways you are making it easier for yourself. Someone else is doing all the shopping and cooking. I know your DC like mine are older. They must have the usual mobile phones, clothes, and other teenage stuff even if they don't get them for Christmas.
I do agree it is also about going to church, seeing family and friends and spending time together.

MarianneM · 02/01/2012 14:25

Posie, please note that those were my words, not hers. In what way does earning a good wage force you to consume as much of it as possible (on pointless products)? Xenia didn't say she was Jesus, but seems to question the need people have for mountains of physical possessions.

fluffy123 · 02/01/2012 14:27

About £1000 on presents, food, trip to the pantomime, extra petrol to visit the inlaws etc. Approx £2500 on a holiday just after Christmas and for the new year.

JollySantaJackrum · 02/01/2012 14:29

About £200 extra on food and drink, £500 ish on gifts.

No extra travel here. In fact, we save on travel as dp is off work so no commute.

We do Morrisons saver stamps and also they had £25 off a shop if you had 6 £40 or more receipts from the last couple of months, so we collected those too. Food bills are always higher for us when dp is off work though .

MarshaBrady · 02/01/2012 14:30

The focus of our Christmas hasn't changed much since childhood.

Good company (extended family), happy but well-behaved children, conversation, excellent food and wine. Not loads of plastic tat.

My parents still did go to church on Christmas day in Berlin, but the children don't. We all have partners and families that are not religious.

But I will admit it is decadent to meet in a beautiful city and do lots of nice stuff together.

PipaLockstocking · 02/01/2012 16:03

I think your day sounds lovely Marsha.

Why can't people just do things like that on any old weekend of the year.

Don't you think it would feel just as good, if not better, than a day when jollyness is "prescribed" and when most people feel they need to spend lots of cash?

Kellogg · 02/01/2012 16:05

You can do that at other times of the year as well as doing it at Christmas. However because most people are not working it makes Christmas an ideal time.

MarshaBrady · 02/01/2012 16:19

Thanks Pipa Smile.

I would happily do that any other time but my all my family are so far away from one another.. Australia, Berlin, London. Everyone needs to be on holiday at the same time.

I do know other families in the same position who choose the summer to get a house together somewhere, but my parents much prefer city/London shows and restaurants to the beach. Probably due to living near one for thirty odd years.

Tbh, we don't need much of an excuse to eat good food Grin.

MarshaBrady · 02/01/2012 16:31

...plus we did many things during the whole week, rather than just one day.

Although I am not good at embracing a Christmas with just our little family. I do tend to associate Christmas day with lots of us all together.

FrigidHare · 02/01/2012 16:51

too depressed about it to check, but maybe 300 on pressies. God knows how much else on food. All on the cc too which isn't good. Seriously getting scared about it tbh.

PosieParker · 02/01/2012 17:35

Sorry, I was making a general point not replying, as such.

But high wages rely upon consumerism in a round about sort of way.

Cupawoman · 02/01/2012 17:44

Christmas is not about religion for us either. However, we do value the family time together and do live well within our means. We are not particularly materialistic but to suggest that those who are need to spend 'more time on their knees' is missing the point. I know lots of regular church goers who are extremely materialistic.

rubyrubyruby · 02/01/2012 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Figgyrollsintoapudding · 02/01/2012 18:16

Ruby, it is the same judgement that comes out whenever money is mentioned I think. I am burying my head in the sand about the amount that I have spent but not because I can't afford it as we are careful with our money and don't like to get into debt and so I know that I wouldn't have got into debt for christmas.

I am slightly sulking though as I was given the impression by other family members that we had a budget of x for adult presents this year. So I stuck to it to discover that they had all halved the budget without telling me, they also claimed that one present given by me and dh to my df was from them to each other which I will be clearing up when they return from the holiday that they all went on without asking dh and I. Next year they will all get the same thing and it will be tough luck. DH's family though were very generous and always are as there ar eless of them so I/we like to spend a little more on them.

Either way, I don't believe in bankrupting yourself for a holiday, all my spend has been careful (tesco vouchers/3 for 2 etc/ bookpeople) on my dc so there we go. And I have great pride in having doubled my tesco vouchers to toy ones and spending the lot on plastic tat. It was fantastic and better than spending it all on booze for me and dh! I suppose I could have used the vouchers on food for xmas but to be honest it was a far better bargain to change it all for tat vouchers as it meant friends dc's, and my dc's stockings were a doddle. Oh and free Grin

RainQueen · 02/01/2012 18:30

£300 4DCs pressies
£25 DH pressie
£100 other pressies
£100 extra food
£50 extra booze
£10 seeing Santa
£10 Secret Santa
£0 outings/going out
£0 travel

So about £600 all in.

stubbornstains · 02/01/2012 20:07

smaccapacca - yes, there is a parallel universe. There are 2 Britains, income-wise, that's for sure. And the gap is widening, faster and faster. However, I would say that one of the most important things about Mumsnet is that it provides a venue for the 2 Britains to meet, understand each other, and be informed about what's going on for people outside of their immediate circle of acquaintance.

Anyhoo....

£75 on presents, but I made quite a lot.

£100 for travel up to relatives, who hosted.

So hardly anything on food, except for ingredients for a posh Christmas day breakfast for the family.

PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 02/01/2012 20:10

£500 (give or take a few pounds).

£250 on food Blush
£250 on presents.

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 02/01/2012 20:13

I think is Xenia is right to question the value of having mountains of physical possessions.
More always wants more .

Want2bSupermum · 02/01/2012 20:18

This year we went to Denmark for Christmas. We live in the US so it was a long way to go. We spent $500 on gifts. Would have spent far less if I had my way and $50 was what we spent on gifts for my family (we do token gifts). We stocked the PIL up and spent quite a bit.

We were able to juggle work commitments and get our flights reimbursed by our employers. The flights were not cheap so we did really well.

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