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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:
sandstormboots · 30/12/2023 21:21

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.

Similar here, less than €400 in total - €50 on nieces and nephews altogether and €15 on MIL, €170 on 8yo son, €25 on cards and stamps, €20 extra on food, €25 on Christmas tree, €15 on teachers, €20 each on each other, and €25 on a small pre Christmas lunch.
It does not seem that much compared to others but we don't host, don't drink, only have one child, don't buy for adults except MIL, and buy throughout the year using offers, sales and charity shops.

Cherrysherbet · 30/12/2023 21:39

2k. Way too much, but I’ll do the same next year.
No debt, but need to go easy for a while.

Whaleandsnail6 · 30/12/2023 22:14

About 600 on our 2 kids presents (around 300 each)
About 200 on family presents (parents, siblings, nieces and nephews)
Aprox 100 to host food for the day and for some special food treats for the week

Started saving in October and will be paid off by end of Jan.

DragonFly98 · 30/12/2023 22:19

I don't know how many are managing to spend so little, I spent at least £5000. No alcohol that's pretty much just presents , food which was a buffet so no expensive meat etc and Christmas grotto.

Invisimamma · 30/12/2023 22:33

About £1200 on presents, £300 on food, £250 on activities. We didn't host anyone.

No debt, we save though the year for Xmas and had a bit extra this year than what we usually would.

ssd · 30/12/2023 22:34

DragonFly98 · 30/12/2023 22:19

I don't know how many are managing to spend so little, I spent at least £5000. No alcohol that's pretty much just presents , food which was a buffet so no expensive meat etc and Christmas grotto.

Well if you can afford to spend 5k then thats great but myself and lots here cant so thats why we managed to spend less.....

wombats78 · 30/12/2023 22:40

Blimey, possibly about £100/150? Maybe.

I've spent a fortune on hobbies this year but I don't really do Christmas anyway and it's been a lovely calm holiday, not a spendfest.

I would not go into debt, how does that help? We grew up dirt poor and learned to budget, served us well as it's a hell of lot less stressful.

Suzi7979 · 30/12/2023 22:44

1200

HausofHolbein · 30/12/2023 22:55

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This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

TastesLikeStrawberriesOnASummerEvening · 30/12/2023 22:57

I spent around £150.
I used money I have, nothing to pay off.

Strawberryjams · 30/12/2023 22:59

Probably around £1500 but that was split across the year. For example we buy our panto tickets in January. I buy gifts from around August. I also have a box and I buy things that keep like chutneys, crackers etc each shop and put them away so I don’t have a big outgoing in December. This included breakfast with Santa, our Christmas Eve tradition of the cinema, Christmas Eve boxes and anything else Christmas! It was tight this year due to cost of living, higher mortgage on our new home etc. Definitely cut back from previous years, didn’t spend less but the money didn’t go as far!

FuckingHellAdele · 30/12/2023 23:04

My finance spreadsheet (yes I have a finance spreadsheet) says this year's total is a shade over £2.6k

We're fortunate to have it to spend, and it includes absolutely everything- food, hosting, decorations, show tickets, presents but it's still more than I would have guessed if I hadn't checked.

stargirl1701 · 30/12/2023 23:16

All in I would imagine £2K. Hosting is expensive!

The money came from savings.

Chouxpastryishard · 30/12/2023 23:20

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That’s just obscene quite honestly.

OnceUponATimeInChristmasTime · 30/12/2023 23:30

I genuinely daren't add it up.

DragonFly98 · 30/12/2023 23:40

ssd · 30/12/2023 22:34

Well if you can afford to spend 5k then thats great but myself and lots here cant so thats why we managed to spend less.....

Show quote history

I can afford to as in I don't go into debt but I would much rather spend less. We have a big family though.

Maicon · 30/12/2023 23:43

Over 7k this year. Food and booze were about 2k of that total. I spent about 1k per kid x 4 kids then 1k on tickets to Christmas outings. And I bought DH a few jumpers...

mummyjummylove · 30/12/2023 23:47

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This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

This has to be satire

FrostieBoabby · 30/12/2023 23:49

Probably about £1K but my kids are grown up, mortgage paid off so Xmas just means less into my savings for December.

(I don't ever forget the financially hard times of the past though when we just survived Christmas)

Eightohseven · 30/12/2023 23:56

About £550 but only bought for ds, 2 dsis, work secret santa and 3 niece/nephews and a couple of token gifts for neighbours etc, few extras in the regular food shop. No debt for it and luckily paid after xmas so not broke anymore lol

Mirrorimagemenopause · 30/12/2023 23:57

Easily over 5k, 3 kids, 1 paid trainers are £200, iPods, tracksuits. Will have it paid off by end of feb, love the PayPal pay in 3 option & it’s paid off very quickly.

Cincinnatus · 31/12/2023 00:00

Hmm maybe 4k. I didn’t really keep track. Debt for Christmas?? Absolutely not.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 31/12/2023 00:01

£1500 or so all in I’d say including clothes, days/evenings out as well as food and presents. I save money for it through the year

Sockmate123 · 31/12/2023 00:06

It depends what you mean by 'all in' if you are just talking gifts alot less but if I'm including Santa Visits, VIP tickets to theatre, Xmas jumpers, pj's decorations, new outfits for everyone and gifts probably around €2500 but I don't go into debt. Saved all year round so nothing at all on credit card which I'm delighted and relieved about.

GuiltyPleasure · 31/12/2023 00:18

Probably around 2k. Mainly on presents, but for 3 older children it's now more like 1 big present each. We don't have any other family we need to cater for and we're beyond the whole Panto, Christmas outing, Christmas box type thing. We've been more indulgent, bought and eaten more/different food/drink than we'd eat at other times of year, but nothing will go to waste. We're very privileged that we're financially comfortable so I don't really think about it, but I'd certainly never spend more than we can afford. It's 2 weeks of nice food and drink then back to normal on the 2nd January.