Christmas - who is cutting back?

[Bootrip2]

We have done secret santa for family adults for last three years and we all love it, even the ones who doubted it would work. Kids still get presents from everyone. Giving ideas is difficult of what to buy, and DD doesnt eat sweets or chocs much (we still have easter eggs to be eaten!)

Definetly cutting back this year. I am working christmas eve and only off christmas day and boxing day, which are already taken care of. I doubt we will starve, theres always takeaways!

[vampiress88]

Think I am humbug.

I don’t know. I’m fed up of trying to find presents for Christmas just because.

This is our first Christmas in this new house so we will buy new decorations and will have some special food but not like we used to. We used to have least £100 of food from M&S ordered but not anymore.

When we were tighter with money then we tried to do all lovely gift baskets. That went down like a lead balloon and I got annoyed that I had actually bothered.

Hubby wants to take everyone out for a meal. Probably about £150. Thought that would be great idea as I cannot think of Christmas presents but we are still doing presents.

I have definitely cut down on what we buy the kids. It was bags and bags when they were younger.

I am also doing Christmas for me exactly the way I want it. Not changing nothing for no one.

[JLH]

I decided a few weeks ago to cut down , I would quite happily go away for a few days and not bother at all . My eldest even said Christmas is a waste of money so I jumped on the chance to say let’s not bother then but it didn’t go down well with everyone else .

[EssexSue]

No chance with 8 grandchildren!

[Emmie2016]

Me and my hubby have been together for over 10 years and dont buy each other gifts. We share one pot of money and if we need something then we buy it. Im not into presents. We buy something for my in laws and buy books for my nieces and nephews every year. As they dont need anything. But we ask that they dont buy for us. I dont need anything.

Obviously that may change when we have children but me and my hubby we didnt get given alot growing up and mainly had hand me downs. Didnt do me any harm. I fear that people are always one upping the year before and it gets out of control.

But I do love Christmas Haha I love the food, the tree, movies, time off work, parties and seeing friends and family.

But Christmas for me isnt about spending money its having a good time with the people you love.

[DisneyDaffodil]

We are definitely cutting down. We have had an expensive year, with DD starting university, we also helped our middle son when buying his first home and we have also had a lot of holidays including one to Vietnam to visit our son who teaches there. We felt these were more important to us this year than spending money buying unnecessary gifts at Xmas. Our eldest son lives in Vietnam so we can only really give him a cash gift, the middle son and his fiancée will also receive a small cash gift to spend on their house probably and the one at uni has been asked to get herself a few main clothing items as a gift from us. DH and I have treated ourselves to a few theatre shows for next year which we will class as our Xmas gifts.

I will be buying turkey, ham, chocolates etc but I am trying to buy only what we will use without any waste. I’m also not buying Xmas crackers as we are reducing our waste. I do like our parcels wrapped but I’m going to look into any way to reduce paper waste so I’m not sure how we will wrap the parcels this year. I guess by buying less, I will be packing less so that’s going to help reduce the paper waste too.

[Twin mummy]

We really started cutting back a few years ago. Not so much to save money, more that we just felt overwhelmed with stuff that we didn’t want or need. We only have a small family, dh, me, 2 girls, my mum and dh’s Mum and her wife but the amount of stuff was unbelievable.

With the girls we buy if there is something they really want/ need but won’t get lots for just buying sake. So last year they got iPhones, the year before it was a pair of pj’s and favourite chocolates and this year it is flair pens and a colouring book each so far (they have just had a big renew of clothes each as they needed more).

Everyone is on board with it apart from my Mum who just shops for tat and then always complains about how much she’s spent that she can’t afford.

As for food we go for quality rather than quantity.

For us Christmas has become more about spending time with our loved ones rather than stuff.

[Eeyore rocks]

Like most, we are cutting back...if anybody wants anything..they just go and buy it themselves nowadays anyway...so we have set a limit for each adult...then I would rather know what they want, instead of them ending up with stuff they don’t want/need. 🎄

Mickey House... I still send real Christmas cards...I’m with you on that. 🎅🏻

[Princess Ariel]

I’m really cutting back this year. Last year I spent loads on the boys...most of it wasn’t ever used, hundreds on food (again most ended up out of date and thrown away) and loads on gifts for DH’s family (I’m the higher earner so sort all the gifts). I know you shouldn’t give to receive but last year I was 40 and I didn’t even get a card from any of DH’s family, Xmas last year I got a box of biscuits from MIL (not even wrapped) and some smellies from BIL. DH got given loads of money from them though! It was my birthday yesterday and even though they all knew this, again not even a card or text to say happy birthday! They have made it very obvious how they feel about me!
So I’ve learnt the hard way, this is my hard earned money, kids are having a set amount of money this year, DH’s family are all having a tin of biscuits and instead of spending loads of money on food we don’t end up eating we are having a dominoes on Boxing Day lol 😂

[katiec68]

We are away this Christmas but the last 3 years we have had Xmas dinner at a local restaurant. We will start the day with a bottle of champers and i'll get cheese in for that late evening snack but other than that its just normal food in the cupboard!

DH buys for his parents, (and they us) and his 2 remaining niece/nephew who are under 18.

I buy for my sisters little ones and a couple of friends.

I also fill a big box with xmas food for my friend and her 3 children as she doesn't have much spare cash.

DH and I will buy just a little gift - slippers/pjs etc as we normally go skiing in Jan - and we both have Jan birthdays so we just put our money to that.

My best gift of the year is when we do the giving tree present at Bluewater - you pick a label which has a childs name and age and buy them something.

My friend will buy presents for her friends grandchildren who she's never even met