How Much Do You Spend on Christmas?
Discussion
Christ I wouldn't mind having most of the budgets above. Our spend is somewhere between £5 and £10K at a guess. Assuming you throw everything in, food, drinks, presents, traveling, utility bills, flowers, decorations, eating out, etc etc. I don't really mind as we have real quality time with the family but it makes me realise how lucky we are. It's an important time for Mrs BigM and she works hard for it so I just go with the flow and enjoy the ride.
Pretty much the bare minimum. I've had the same 'sustainable seasonal conifer' in a pot for the last six years that lives outside most of the time and comes indoors for a couple of weeks and gets draped in tinsel and tawdry twinkling LEDs. I also have to surround the base with slug pellets, or I'm in for a world of hurt. But, it was only 10" when I got it six years ago, and it's now about five feet tall!
I don't have kids in my life who might expect gifts, and my nearest and dearest it's all about a good feed and drink-up to which everyone contributes in some way.
I don't have kids in my life who might expect gifts, and my nearest and dearest it's all about a good feed and drink-up to which everyone contributes in some way.
As little as possible.
Spent £30 on my Aunt and Uncle, will have to buy my cousins a present (2x £10) and one cousins children presents (3 x £10). I see all of them once a year. Depending how long my 40 year old male cousin has been in the pub for, I might not see him at all. I see my female cousin's children once a year, although one of them has to leave to go to her dad's for 4:00pm - and the other 2 might have to go to their dad's, depending on what the court says. Council, I know. Despite my apathy, my mum thinks I'm still very close to them all(It's her side of the family), so I have to show a little bit of willing.
Dad's binned off most of his extended family, so no need to worry about them.
I'll spend £50 on my fiancee, which is our pre-agreed budget. Last year, I bought her some vinyl, a chef's blowtorch, welding mask and fire extinguisher.
This year, she wants slippers (but wants them purchased in the sales to avoid the Christmas premium). I'll probably get her a candle/vinyl to open on Christmas day
Don't need to get my parent's anything; we've bought each other tickets to a show next year.
Don't really buy too much extra food and drink - which is probably a reflection of how much we drink during the rest of the year and a general apathy towards Christmas and the associated festivities.
Summary - Probably £150. I
f it were up to me, I'd spend that money on petrol and go for a drive, or ship the fiancee off to her mum and dad's and sit and drink at home alone instead of having to spend time with people I don't like, eating food I don't like, listening to music I don't like, avoiding TV I really dislike, and pretending to be festive.
Spent £30 on my Aunt and Uncle, will have to buy my cousins a present (2x £10) and one cousins children presents (3 x £10). I see all of them once a year. Depending how long my 40 year old male cousin has been in the pub for, I might not see him at all. I see my female cousin's children once a year, although one of them has to leave to go to her dad's for 4:00pm - and the other 2 might have to go to their dad's, depending on what the court says. Council, I know. Despite my apathy, my mum thinks I'm still very close to them all(It's her side of the family), so I have to show a little bit of willing.
Dad's binned off most of his extended family, so no need to worry about them.
I'll spend £50 on my fiancee, which is our pre-agreed budget. Last year, I bought her some vinyl, a chef's blowtorch, welding mask and fire extinguisher.
This year, she wants slippers (but wants them purchased in the sales to avoid the Christmas premium). I'll probably get her a candle/vinyl to open on Christmas day
Don't need to get my parent's anything; we've bought each other tickets to a show next year.
Don't really buy too much extra food and drink - which is probably a reflection of how much we drink during the rest of the year and a general apathy towards Christmas and the associated festivities.
Summary - Probably £150. I
f it were up to me, I'd spend that money on petrol and go for a drive, or ship the fiancee off to her mum and dad's and sit and drink at home alone instead of having to spend time with people I don't like, eating food I don't like, listening to music I don't like, avoiding TV I really dislike, and pretending to be festive.
Tom_Spotley_When said:
As little as possible.
<snip>
If it were up to me, I'd spend that money on petrol and go for a drive, or ship the fiancee off to her mum and dad's and sit and drink at home alone instead of having to spend time with people I don't like, eating food I don't like, listening to music I don't like, avoiding TV I really dislike, and pretending to be festive.
Blimey and some reckon romance and christmas spirit is dead!<snip>
If it were up to me, I'd spend that money on petrol and go for a drive, or ship the fiancee off to her mum and dad's and sit and drink at home alone instead of having to spend time with people I don't like, eating food I don't like, listening to music I don't like, avoiding TV I really dislike, and pretending to be festive.
alorotom said:
Blimey and some reckon romance and christmas spirit is dead!
The Christmas Spirit didn't stand a chance in our house; dominated the hallway and stopped him on the lawn. No tree. No cards. No tinsel. No Christmas crap anywhere. Other half works away a lot, I hate Christmas and we aren't here for Christmas day, so what's the point?
Being a nerd with a spreadsheet for such matters, I've spent £701.46 on presents. Add some booze, food and bits and bobs and that will rise to about £850 - £900. Sounds excessive when you list it out like that but I'm creating memories with my kids. We're having my parents over for dinner and I'm hosting a couple of nights in the house for friends and one for the neighbours. The kids love a good run around while Daddy plays his music and sups trappist beers.
toon10 said:
Being a nerd with a spreadsheet for such matters, I've spent £701.46 on presents. Add some booze, food and bits and bobs and that will rise to about £850 - £900. Sounds excessive when you list it out like that but I'm creating memories with my kids. We're having my parents over for dinner and I'm hosting a couple of nights in the house for friends and one for the neighbours. The kids love a good run around while Daddy plays his music and sups trappist beers.
Well done that man - nice spreadsheet use. If I’m honest I was hopeful there would more precision folks out there to shame my useless approach.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
HTTPies said:
Hate Christmas so don’t spend a single £.
I hate Christmas too! But I am buying a lot of mince pies this year! Every time I go into Tescos I'm getting a "6 for a quid" box 
supercommuter said:
BRR said:
£2mil, cash. I then put another 7 figs in my investment portfolio
Same, Christmas bonus goes on Christmas, the 6 figs that remain i usually draw out in cash and burn in a family ritual on boxing day.bloomen said:
Have you considered abducting a homeless woman and forcing her to eat the cash?
Tom_Spotley_When said:
alorotom said:
Blimey and some reckon romance and christmas spirit is dead!
The Christmas Spirit didn't stand a chance in our house; dominated the hallway and stopped him on the lawn. No tree. No cards. No tinsel. No Christmas crap anywhere. Other half works away a lot, I hate Christmas and we aren't here for Christmas day, so what's the point?
No Christmas in my flat! I don't believe in God, I'm not wealthy enough to partake in extreme consumerism. I'm not seeing anybody. I don't get the appeal, so will be bah humbug as usual
To answer the question
I've spent £120 on presents. Cant see that increasing between now and then.
I'm an expat and usually take 2-3 weeks at Xmas off so that you can catch as many people as possible when coming home, it's not cheap though.
£1500 flights for family.
£2-3000 for accommodation, typically something from Airbnb.
£750 hire car.
+/-£700 on gifts, lot's of nieces and nephews.
+/- £800 on food and drink plus nights out.
We live in Europe at the moment but will hopefully be moving to the US in the new year so flight costs will triple. I typically only come home once a year though so i think it's worth it.
£1500 flights for family.
£2-3000 for accommodation, typically something from Airbnb.
£750 hire car.
+/-£700 on gifts, lot's of nieces and nephews.
+/- £800 on food and drink plus nights out.
We live in Europe at the moment but will hopefully be moving to the US in the new year so flight costs will triple. I typically only come home once a year though so i think it's worth it.
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