How much do you spend on Christmas, all in?

[walkwalk]

Just wondering as growing up we didn't have much, so didn't spend much. Now I am a bit more financially comfortable and we have a budget of £750 this year - that's for absolutely everything (tree, food, booze, gifts, treats, activities...). It feels like a LOT but then I read on here about some peoples traditions (Christmas Eve hampers with new games, treats and pj's for whole family), and very impressive gift lists for the kids etc.. sounds lovely but it's kind of blowing my mind, doing the mental math, they must be spending thousands??

Just curious, obviously look away if you prefer not to talk money! :)

I set a budget of £500

That’s 2 children, DH, 4 parents, 5 siblings, 6 nieces and nephews plus a few extras
A Christmas tree and maybe the odd new decoration (which I probably forget to include in the budget)

I end up having the panic at the end and buying more things so tend to creep over it

It’s been a really tight year this year so have tried my best to cut back but it’s hard

Normally I just spend a couple of hundred £ on the dc each and then about £200 on presents for everyone else
However this year as we haven’t been able to do the usual holidays, going out for meals etc and the dc havent really been able to see their friends we decided to splurge and we have bought them both very expensive gifts (fitness equipment).
I think we will have spent around £300 on food all in

I think about £1500. Presents, build up, food and drink. My first time hosting so lost count just making it up as I go along!

@myhobbyisouting

You may be able to buy at those prices but the flavour and provenance is completely different to good quality and/or organic products.

We usually budget £1k made up of:

£400 on presents for DH and I and two DC.
£300 on presents for wider family (parents, both sets of siblings, neices and nephews etc.)
£200 on food
£100 for other incidentals...trips out (in normal times), any new decorations etc.

@gottakeeponmovin

Probably about 1500 but we have 3 kids and we host Xmas dinner. How does anyone do Xmas dinner for 70? My Turkey costs more than that!

we've vegaterian so no need for a turkey

we have a spread of veg including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, sweetcorn, peas, root mash, mash potato, parsnips etc... and then yorkshire puddings and usually a pasta - costs under £20 for 4 people and we only cook half and theres still left overs, just because its christmas doesnt mean people need to go full glutton.

You may be able to buy at those prices but the flavour and provenance is completely different to good quality and/or organic products.
This x100

Usually £3000 this year £1000

2-3K
Probably closer to three, but we do have five children and invite friends for Christmas every year.

I haven't added it all up, and tbh I don't think I could even if I tried!
I would estimate that DP and I have spent around £2k including everything, decorations, food, presents etc.
However we have 4DC (all tween ages so can't get away with a couple of cheap toys anymore) plus x3 sets of parents & siblings (I still have a very close relationship with exH's family so still buy for his mum, dad, aunt and sister)
We also have 10 nieces and nephews to buy for as well.
So no one gets particularly extravagant gifts just lots of people to buy for.
We start putting money away in around august, and haven't gotten into debt for it.

All in presents food decorations tree etc 2-3k but I’m aware I got a bit carried on

Don't rely know but must be in the region of £1000. Actually, thinking about it, it's probably closer to £1500. We haven't bought presents for many others this year but have instead bought extra presents for ourselves (so saved money).

This year I have spent way more than usual. Partly this is because we live abroad at the moment and would normally travel home for Christmas, therefore I am wildly overcompensating for my DC not seeing their family (for the lat 18 months). I've spent about 6-700 quid on presents for DC and DH, and over 300 pounds on a hotel brunch, because I can't face cooking in hot weather. This is a lot more than I have ever spent.

I'm a bit embarrassed that I've spent £2k considering I'm not hosting and my kids are 2 and 4 and I've only done them a stocking each tbf £500 of it is a surprise iPhone for my DH but I'm going to go through the budget software to see how I've managed that. Wine, I think (as in I've bought lots rather than drunk lots and then gone online shopping )

I have £300 saved that covers all the gifts (2DC pluse family), then probably another £200 from general spending go on Christmassy things like outings and extra food. But we would be going out and eating even if it wasn't Christmas, so probably only £100 extra to normal.

£400 on presents, ( £150 ds, £100 dh, £35 Mum, the rest on niece, nephews, my best mate and other friends).
£20 on a tree
£120 food and drink

I have really tried to scale it back this year, there has been nothing spent on going out / Xmas activites / work xmas do etc or new clothes this year, yet to me it is still a huge amount of money for one day. Hmm ...

About £800 total. I am a spreadsheet nerd so I keep a tally each year.

(£300 gifts f £100 on Christmas tips and 'misc', about £400 on food and drink for that week)

Haven't ever added it up but eased as DH and I usually get backdated pay awards in Oct/Nov. This year approx:

• 200 food
• 100 Xmas PJs
• 400 gifts for the kids
• 200 gifts for wider family

So approx 900 excluding the gifts we buy for each other.

@WillSantaBeComingToTown

£350 on dogs? What do they get out of interest?

We have spent £750 on each dc (x5 one is a foster child and 4 are mine) £1000 for each other and £50 per person for family members and close friends and their dc have a budget of £20 each. Xmas gets more expensive every year with our 3 eldest being teens 😫

About £2k on presents to our grown up dc and each other.
Real tree £60.
New lights £25.
£100 extra on food.
£150 on drinks.
We usually go out a lot, parties, gigs, theatre, ballet etc so normally another few hundred.
Probably £2.5-3k.

I'm amazed at some of the figures listed here 😱

About £250.

I’d like to say less than £1000 but I suspect we actually spent a bit more:
£600 on gifts for everyone
£130 on Santa train
£60 on Christmas tree
£30 on Christmas jumpers for kids
£96 on Riverford for veg, fruit & cheese
£300 Ocado order (but maybe not all exactly for Christmas!

Can vary a little year to year. This year:
£50 trees x2
£250 food
£250 booze
£150 Dh gift
£700 gifts for 3 teens
£250 for family gifts (token for 7 adults and nice bits for 3 nephews 1 niece).
Will prob spend £100 on nye takeaway.

I spent £2,500 this year.

Very annoyingly the late announcement that our area was going into Tier 4 meant our plans changed at the last minute and we'd already spent a lot on presents, food, drink, games, etc etc for family that could no longer visit.

I've already made a detailed budget for next Christmas (whilst this year is still fresh in my mind) and I'm aiming to spend £1500 in 2021.