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Original poster

How much did Christmas cost you?

219 replies

Jbrown76 · 30/12/2023 08:03

And how long will it take to pay it off? Or how long will you be skint for?

It'll be Summer before I'm in the clear 😓

OP posts:
Chouxpastryishard · 30/12/2023 08:04

Far far too much. I say this every year.

MyBigFatGreekSalad · 30/12/2023 08:06

Probably around £600 for everything including presents, food and activities.

I buy gifts throughout the year if I see them and only buy for my DS DP and mum and don't go overboard. (Some of my friends have got into debt spending £500 per child which is just insane to me)

LikeIDontExist · 30/12/2023 08:07

I put a little away each month starting January so I don’t have anything to pay off, thankfully.
I don’t go mad so probably around £600

Combusting · 30/12/2023 08:08

Nothing beyond the ordinary. There are separate “pots” money is sunk into across the year and even inside a single month so we spent from the pots. Kids gifts came from marketplace, Freecycle, vinted and various grandparents aunts uncles. Our gifts to each other came from yet another “pot”, so nothing beyond ordinary and absolutely no debt taken on for it.

PermanentTemporary · 30/12/2023 08:08

The cheapest Christmas I ever did was £400. I haven't added this one up but maybe £700 including NYE? Too much but we enjoyed it.

ssd · 30/12/2023 08:09

Around £1000

ssd · 30/12/2023 08:10

I save a little every week online too

DustyLee123 · 30/12/2023 08:11

Far, far too much.

AndThatWasNY · 30/12/2023 08:12

Around a £1k if all added up. Saved up for it. I would never go into.debt though. On our skint years we scaled right back to secondhand toys for the kids (charity shops and car boots) and a chicken roast. Still had a lovely time.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 30/12/2023 08:15

I recon all in c. £700- inclusive of Father Christmas visit, Christmas jumpers and the pantomime.
Started buying in October- used some of my savings, I wouldn’t ever get into debt for it, it’s 1 day.

Augustus40 · 30/12/2023 08:15

I don't I debts or credit cards. D's presents and money c £180 then an extra £60 max food.

JulieLew · 30/12/2023 08:17

I think approx £600 including visit to North Pole, panto, gifts etc but spending spread out since September so nothing to pay off now, I hate debt!

GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas · 30/12/2023 08:18

6-700 including presents, food, Sri m ice skating, tree and some bits and pieces like decorations.

I could have spent a bit less on food and will aim to do that next year.

Kwasi · 30/12/2023 08:24

I spent £50 between 3 nieces and nephews, £20 on DH (don't normally get him anything), probably around £200 on DS (5yo), which includes clothes, PJs and boots. I probably spent an extra £40 in food and nibbles than on a usual fortnight. I also spent about £50 on outdoor decorations, but I got them half price mid-December.

So £360 total.

YouJustDoYou · 30/12/2023 08:26

Not much. Bought over the year when I could, shopped the sales. We as a rule never spend much per kid, and food is cooked from scratch, not much booze, so it's never too bad.

hattie43 · 30/12/2023 08:30

Probably a couple of thousand but that's because of many more events / socialising / meals out this year .

2DD29 · 30/12/2023 08:32

Around 1000, but I start in June and often use klarna pay in 3 for the more expensive. I owe about 150 on there, plus 40 on argos card. Both interest free

LaSpuddle · 30/12/2023 08:32

About 1.6k for all presents, food and drink.
We buy for 22 people in total (all family) plus a token gift for teachers and were hosting various people for 10 days this year so food was more than it otherwise would have been.
We save a bit each month for it, buy presents from September, spread the food shopping over a month or so. No debt.

It’s hard when you can’t afford to save anything each month or add extras to your food shop though. I was lucky that when I was in that position my children were little so I was able to spend very little on them and because everyone I buy for is family I was able to say I couldn’t afford to buy much and they understood.

PictureFrameWindow · 30/12/2023 08:33

£260 on two kids total (an exceptional year since I chipped in a bit for secondhand bikes with Granny) £30 or so on DH, £85 on parents, £125 nieces and nephews, £25 child minder. £75 for panto for 4 of us. This year I spent too much on eating out but it wasn't planned so it wasn't even very good!

WYorkshireRose · 30/12/2023 08:33

About £4.5k all in Blush but that did include £2k on a holiday cottage we stayed in for 4 days over Christmas. The rest was presents, food and drink, experiences/shows, etc. I typically budget around £4K for Christmas by putting £350/month into a Christmas savings pot, so won't be carrying any of it forward. But nevertheless, it's eye opening to see the amount written down, and I definitely plan to try reining it in a bit next year.

topnoddy · 30/12/2023 08:34

A total of £4.50 on 2 cards

Don't go in for all the "buy all this crap and you will have the besetest Christmas" crap

DailyEnergyCrisis · 30/12/2023 08:36

We flew to stay with family who live in another European country so:

flights- £800
air bnb- £400
presents- £700 (mainly on our own kids)
panto- £120

We paid it out of savings so fine from that point of view but it is a lot of cash on a few days.

CuteOrangeElephant · 30/12/2023 08:38

We didn't have any decorations this year due to poorly planned house move.

I spent 100 pounds on DD(7), 50 on nieces. DH and I bought necessities and put those wrapped under the tree so it would look we got something from Santa.

Meal was 20 quid.

eatdrinkandbemerry · 30/12/2023 08:39

Hardly anything extra than I usually spend.
The kids presents were bought with money I'd saved and they didn't want a lot to be fair.
It's been a really good Christmas but it's the things like playing board games and baking and family fun that the kids enjoy.

deepsea9 · 30/12/2023 08:42

About £1.5k in total. That was hosting 8 in total for 3 days (£500 on food, £150
on alcohol) plus presents and decorations.

We did also spend £500 on a show for 5 of us the weekend before Christmas (London and not even the best seats). Very relieved it was brilliant.

ETA: I probably have about £200 to clear from my CC overall? I save each month for Christmas and then just adjust next year’s budget accordingly.

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