Average Christmas spend £748?

Having had a mum who went through the war. She taught me how to do lots of things on a budget. But I have the most loving and amazing daughter who asks for nothing but is always there for us. So my husband and I do like to spoil her.

I have just completed my spreadsheet for Christmas which has come to £663 for presents for 7 adults and three children. I don't tot up the food as there is only two of us and it doesn't cost that much more- there are a few restaurant meals to add in but it doesn't blow the budget.

I spend £60 on each grandchild and we have a Secret Santa for the adults. Every year we say that the childen get far too much especially when you add presents from other relatives. We say we're going to do something different next year but when it comes round it's same old same old.

I probably spend £2much! Most of it goes on DGDs, who are the light of my life, but I can't resist spoiling their parents a bit! I only have my pension, but I save a bit all year for Christmas. None of us are great drinkers, so booze isn't a great expense, but we probably go overboard on food.

I've no idea. I buy things in drips and drabs and don't keep track of what I've spent. I should think its a reasonable estimate but I have quite a few to buy gifts for. This year, DH and I are going to a hotel for Christmas as both children are away so it's a bigger spend obviously.

agreed

Not much ..........spent 30 quid on posh Santa Grotto visit and family coming over Christmas so will lash out a fair bit on food.

No presents for kids they are very small and get enough as it is.

Another £30 so a close friend can take her kids to a Christmas film.

I am keener on experiences than stuff now.

I did buy a huge toy pony (interactive) to stay here and be used by all kids on visits, she is resplendent in the shed and scares the life out of me and the dog (£75 e bay)

So a largish spend and I will be putting the heating on !!!

GD birthday on the 28th will be putting on a little party and paying for that.

I am part of a large family. Years ago we cut out most of the adults, now we have decided as a family to stop giving to "the bairns" when they are 18. There are new family members every year! I buy stuff all year round, I would be shocked if I had to buy it all at once! We give a lot of gifts but some are just £5 to £10- I love a bargain!

We probably spend far too much, but over the years we have gradually agreed with some friends and family that rather than exchange gifts we treat ourselves and then send a pic of "their" gift to us. It's even better when we can buy that gift when we are shopping together! So we don't have drawers full of lovely but unwanted gifts. Sounds a bit cold, but each time I look at my lovely purse it reminds me of my sister. None of our other friends and family could be remotely described as teetotal so it's fun researching potential wine pressies ( hic).

There are four immediate family - DH, MIL, DS and me. Rvery year we each produce a wish list - one or two bigger items (£50, £100 or £150) plus a mid-range, say £25 and a few "stocking fillers" - books, CDs, etc. The big present the other 3 club together for, and each buys one or more of the stocking fillers. It means that no-one spends more than they can afford and if the big present is more than the other 3 can jointly afford, the person who wants it makes up the difference. I save up on Xmas Clubs, savings stamps etc for the food, so that side is virtually paid for in good time.I would say we spend about £150 per head on presents and £250 for the food and drink. MIL's birthday falls on 8 January, so she expects a token present - £25 or so - which we don't begrudge, knowing that she won't have that many more years.

Including food & drink, probably over £500. Glad I'm in a position to do so but try & remember those less fortunate by giving 'good gifts' & this year I'm donating to a food bank as well. Once we are properly retired my budget will shrink.

I decided not to count the cost this year - such a funny old year world-wise! So I haven't gone overboard but haven't stopped to add it up.
Every Christmas I give a little to my charities and also pick a new one- this year it was Crisis. I also seek out a BIG Issue seller around Christmas - one who looks freezing cold and just somehow pulls at my heartstrings, and give them a few pounds as a little Christmas gift. I am not a well off Baby Boomer myself, but am grateful for what I have.

Having totted everything up, I guess our bill will be over £1000, ouch, but you can't take it with you.

Strangely enough, Christmas is the least of my annual spending budget as I do not like running with the herd with irrelevant (to me) extravagances. I refuse to be pushed along the path of extreme commercialism that exists at this time of year. Modest presents, not overdoing the food is best for me. I would give my coat off my back to a beggar, but not at Christmas when I feel it is being wrenched from me. I like to be generous for family birthdays, so not a complete Scrooge.

I find that figure shocking! We don't spend anywhere near that even allowing for travel costs for our family get together.
The DGC don't get big presents individually and often the whole wider family will all contribute to a big worthwhile family present. This makes it more do-able for everyone and the GC have been brought up to appreciate all that they are given. They each receive a small token present to open on the day and when all the contributions are gathered together they take part in the purchase of the big item. They do understand the value of money and the mechanics of shopping around and purchasing which I think is a good experience for them.
The adults all receive presents too but the emphasis is on getting something novel, useful or imaginative and not really on the monetary value. We don't go mad on food and drink either but we all have a very enjoyable time together.

We have a maximum price limit of £10 per person including grandchildren. I encourage everyone to make something, from pickles to cards and give them as gifts, costs £100 for 10 people. I have always encouraged the idea that it is a gesture of goodwill to give something at Christmas whereas birthdays as special. So we spend more on birthdays and spread the cost throughout the year. This has worked well for 45 years and will continue I am sure, better then spend now pay later.
As for food that is another issue, I always buy from farms throughout the year avoiding supermarkets like the plague. I make everything I can from yogurt and cheese to jams and pickles and so again keeping costs to a minimum with no food waste.

Daddima I'll be cruising in the Queen Victoria , so if you see her, wave to me?

Not me, last year I was home fo Christmas so all the teenage gc (5 plus one boyfriend) had presents. Only one said thank you, so this year I have stopped all presents but for one and will give a donation somewhere to people in need.

I only have DM - who I will take shopping when I visit soon (going to stay for a week) but Rail Ticket has cost me nearly £100 plus Taxis.

DD wants money as she needs new clothes (new baby on the way) & her OH Liverpool FC Pin Badges collected through the year. DGS - I buy when I see things throughout the year (always consult parents)

Gifts of chocolate for above adults & stocking for DGS

I only buy for 3 friends - small gifts with a bit of thought behind them

I've just sent £95 to the Salvation Army for ' some Christmas food and gifts for 5 families'! Yes - 5! Goodness, you can't get much for less than £20 per family. Not sure how that will work out, but every little helps I imagine.

We live on my husband's UK state pension so we have a budget of £20 each for Christmas presents and we'll go out for a traditional lunch on Christmas Day. Have posted 8 Christmas cards and bought a few new decorations and have made a Christmas cake, bought a couple of boxes of mince pies so I would estimate our Christmas will cost in total no more than £100.I do have family but they don't keep in touch, hence only a Christmas card each!

AS you say Legs, travel costs are all part of it, I will get through 2 tanks of fuel getting to our children over Christmas, that's £100 plus any hotel costs if they can't put us up.
Yes, we could stay at home and spend less, but we enjoy visiting them all and buying them presents. we normally spend about £50/60 on each so for 8 it soon mounts up, and we help them out with the food and drink costs. On top of the eight, we have smaller presents for our closest friends. I also forgot 2 major birthdays very close to Christmas (mine for one !)
On top of all this are the various Christmas meals etc with the interest groups we belong to.
We do budget through the year so it's not too much of an unexpected shock. It's amazing how it can soon add up to the £748.

I've consulted the oracle the spreadsheet, and it looks as though we are Mr and Mrs Average, as the figure is about right for us. We still send cards, buy presents for children and adults, don't stint on food and drink or days and meals out etc. We do have a £35 Secret Santa, so only buy for one adult in the immediate family, and there's a figure (the same one) set for each of the grandchildren, who tend to get just one present and a cash top-up. And we always give an extra charitable donation. I'm an avid bargain hunter, and my spreadsheet tells me how much I've spent on presents and what the full price would have been. So far (and I've nearly done) I've "saved" £250.

Do you get unwanted Christmas presents for your birthday, Wobblybits? My dad's was a couple of days after Christmas and he always said he didn't mind that as long as the person regifting made the effort to re-wrap it. His sister never did

We buy for our 4 and their partners, grandchild and 3 step-grandchildren, each other, my Dad, sister and nephew (as they spend the day with us) and my best friend and her husband as we see them Christmas Eve. So yes I reckon we easily spend that, especially if you add in the cost of feeding a houseful for several days. I feel very lucky that we are in a position to treat our loved ones and we both get an enormous amount of pleasure from it.