Christmas - how much are you paring back ?

We dropped pressies for adults decades ago. Instead we do a Secret Santa with Elfster - and a strict limit (was £15, now £20) - so we all get a little gift.

For the kids, I spend half what I would for birthdays. There's eight of them and they get so much anyway. As for food, I now spend more and cook less but that's my treat. Nobody likes Christmas pud, so I'll make the usual trifle, just bigger.

A few less cards sent, and some given with presents instead of posting.
We made a wish list of books on amazon for our children and said to buy recycled if possible. And asked to please just buy one book.
Not cutting back on what we give really, we are fortunate.
Only us for Christmas Dinner. So we'll eat whatever we feel like eating.

Just can’t break the habit of a lifetime. On the other hand, I am more generous with my family as I get older. Last month I transferred their Xmas money to their accounts. Plus, I will buy them a gift each to open on xmas day.

No the exact opposite we are twenty for Christmas Lunch, presents for everyone stockings for the eight GC, at least six (probably more) are staying over so I have purchased Christmas bedding for all beds and put Christmas lights and decorations in all bedrooms.

House is beginning to look like Santas Grotto, it will be a hard slog on the day but I cannot wait. 🎄🎄🎄🤶🤶🤶

I cut back to the bare minimum years ago. Daughter and son and their partners get a voucher of some kind (meal or overnight hotel stay), GS gets a present and I make up a hamper of favourite foods for inlaws. That's it. The xmas day meal depends on who all will be there, as daughter and son and partners all work shifts. Very few cards get sent.

Our daughters have married and had children - we've pared back on gathering together, too many at one go. Apart from 4 meals, one for each daughter and her family, we've not changed much over the years.

Our children and theirs are still spoilt, biscuits are still baked for days on end, but Christmas, somehow, seems reasonable.

We’ve cut down on adult presents, at the request of some, but I’m still buying a few - only edibles and maybe books, though - no other ‘stuff’.
Otherwise much the same as usual, haven’t bought any new decorations, hardly ever do - we like the old ones! - always a real tree, though. And although I like to have lots of nice food in, it will all get eaten up - I do really enjoy not needing to go shopping at all between Christmas and New Year. Lots of lovely leftovers!

GG13 - that sounds exciting - have fun !!

We decided a few years ago to do presents for little ones only, and their numbers keep increasing! We don’t go mad anyway, just food we enjoy and a few treats.

We haven't done presents for adults for a long time. We just buy for partners. Haven't bought any decorations for years either as we have lots from previous years. We tend to stay in our own houses most of the time now so no one is travelling in cold weather but do lots of zoom and facetime sessions to watch present opening and chat. Even do a family quiz night. Happily our semi-permanent guests are going to stay with DD for Christmas this year, so we have the house to ourselves. Many years also since we did restaurant/pub meals for Christmas Day, we don't do alcohol other than a Baileys or a beer for Mr A if he fancies one so there's not much to cut back on really.

GG13 Have a brilliant Christmas, that sounds like hard work but lots of fun 🥂

We'll be doing the same as we've done for decades. We stopped buying for extended family decades ago. I still buy for my adult children and their kids but that's it these days. food etc will be the same as usual I'm not cutting back because I don't need to and it's just one day.

Brilliant GG13, you've reminded me to order some new Christmas bedding. Is the trend for foxes, polar bears, or dogs with hats this year? I'm with the no need to cut back group.

We don't buy for AC, just the GC and small gifts for each other. Had a bad experience of Secret Santa at a social event last year......never again!
We have ordered a meat delivery just this morning as we were due for one so we've just upgraded is slightly and won't need to order again until well into the New Year.
All our AC have children of their own and we don't expect them to travel anywhere on the 25th; we do a visit on the 24th and phone one another on. Christmas morning.
No desire whatsoever to host a Christmas party but would make any neighbour welcome who might be on their own.

Joseanne

Brilliant GG13, you've reminded me to order some new Christmas bedding. Is the trend for foxes, polar bears, or dogs with hats this year? I'm with the no need to cut back group.

We have polar beers in one room, white with black sketches of winter scenes in another, the GC’s room has a colourful Christmas Tree design which covers the whole of the duvets with a pocket on the bottom to put in a small gift.

The others are pale grey with stars.

(DH thinks I have lost the plot, especially when I produced Christmas Cushions for the sofas and chairs and he had to put our normal ones in the loft 🤣🤣)

We still buy for the adult children, partners and 2 grandchildren., I buy for 1 friend.
Normal meat already in the freezer, I get a discount as a friend works for a butcher. Plenty of wrapping bits from last year.
We have cut back in setting a lower spending limit.

I wouldn't dream of buying stuff like xmas bedding etc - what a waste when it's only used for such a very short time.

Blondiescot

I wouldn't dream of buying stuff like xmas bedding etc - what a waste when it's only used for such a very short time.

To each her own.

We use Christmas dishes, sleep under holiday/winter winceyette or flannelette sheets, wear holiday pyjamas.

Colour, takes a bit of glum out of November-February.

Blondiescot

I wouldn't dream of buying stuff like xmas bedding etc - what a waste when it's only used for such a very short time.

They will be used for a good few years and bring me joy knowing that I have made my home festive for my guests.

The joy on my GCs face when they saw the beds and the decorations in what we call the children’s bedroom last week when they stayed over was priceless.

I've got Christmas throws and cushions GG13 I love all the decorating, candles and cards. No children in the family now so cash transfers and a small gift for everyone. Only the two of us for Christmas Day but lots of entertaining before and after the day. We will eat all our favourite things on the day. I love Christmas.

Norah I so agree with you, there is so much doom and gloom around added to the short days and long nights to quote a well know advertisement every little helps

Christmas bedding? Does sound nice but do you use it the rest of the year?

What about Christmas jumpers? I get too hot to wear jumpers on Christmas Day what with the oven and the woodburner going full blast but others seem to like them. Do they get worn again, I wonder?

The family are coming to us this year, so not much opportunity to cut down although we don't go mad anyway. Christmas preparations are well under way here. This afternoon I've threaded the strings on to the new (free, courtesy of the local garden centre) baubles.

No-one can call me bah-humbug!

We'll be 14 or more on the day .I'm ramping it up this year as last year Christmas was cancelled we had three deaths in 11 days in the run up to the big day .
We have lights galore inside and out and presents for all ,as well as those not actually eating here .Presents for good neighbours and friends too . Its only money. Well you cant take it with you ,might as well enjoy it now

No cutting down here, every year we say we’re going to, and every year we spend the same.
Grandchildren are thoroughly spoiled, the younger ones give me a list, which I do my best with, and the older ones get money and a few stocking fillers.
We still buy presents for our daughters and our sons get money.
I love all the lights and candles and trees, it cheers me up, but I haven’t gone as far as Christmas bedding, but it’s a thought!
Twelve for Christmas Day, and then a couple of days of peace till the big family pantomime outing.