[devonlady]

Annie, have a lovely time, I can't imagine you being controlled by anybody!!
John, a lovely picture, what a grand time you and Helen are having!! I will get down to see you next year, I promise!
Landroveroy, the  commercialism is what makes me hate "Xmas" (but not Christmas) As a family we have a rule that no more than £2 is spent per person and preferably home-made.( The children get a wee bit more, obviously, but none are greedy.) A second hand book, a bar of chocolate or a small bottle of home-made or a bit of hand knitted are the order of the day. Fortunately we all have roughly the same taste in literature so can read the books first and they are passed around in the new year.
I have spoken to people who are so stressed and even in financial difficulties over Christmas. One lady confided that she refused to spend more than £300 per grandchild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and her daughter thought her mean!

[clydesdaleclopper]

I have spoken to people who are so stressed and even in financial difficulties over Christmas. One lady confided that she refused to spend more than £300 per grandchild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and her daughter thought her mean!

OMG that is obscene. I hate that my kids get too much from the grandparents. I don't think it helps to teach them the value of things when they get so much and it is nowhere near £300 !

[Backinwellies]

Did anyone see the programme helping a couple with 2 small children to spend less on their Christmas food /drink bill?   They had no idea they were spending over £1500 on food for 3 days! ... saved them £800 ........ personally £700 would still last rather more than 3 days here... even with folks visiting!

[clydesdaleclopper]

£700 would do months

[muddypuddle]

I don't know why people put themselves under that much financial pressure, and for what?!
I like Devonladies ideas, this year I have spread the cost and made most people hampers or night before Christmas boxes with some bought, some home made bits, Christmas cake, shortbread, decorations, nuts, sloe gin (save up mini wine bottles) festive DVD/book... Also helps me feel a bit more festive and I think it's more personal.
 I wonder how much of the food they get actually gets eaten and how much gets thrown away! My mom runs a lunch club once a month at the local church which I went to help out with for their Christmas party last week, it is all volunteers but we cooked for 47 people at £6 per head (£282), which included a sherry or orange juice when they came in, soup to start, turkey dinner and a glass of wine (the meat was sliced from the butcher admittedly not a whole bird), Christmas pudding, mince pie, tea/coffee and "entertainment"/ carols and technically turned over a small profit (which gets fed back into the club)! So to spend £1500 for 3 days!

[Womble]

So to spend £1500 for 3 days!

Indeed. I can't even begin to think how that's possible!?

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I can see how its possible if you buy your goodies from high end suppliers. It's another world out there Womble and for some people who lead a luxury life for the rest of the year then Christmas is clearly an opperunity to raise the bar a little higher.


Yuletide feasting is part of an old tradition and many people like to push the boat out if only in a modest way at christmas time. But to me, a family who spend £1500 on 3 days snacking and are not even aware of it dont need a tv presenters help to save money! Shame they didnt chose to help an average family instead.

[Louise Gaunt]

And just how much would get thrown away as well? I hate wasting food, our Turkey will all get used, right down to cooking the boiling the carcass, removing all the little nub ends of meat, then cooking this with some carrots, onions and celery, bit if seasoning, lots of soup mix and pearl barley, then serving with herby dumplings! Always known in our house as Turkey splosh, as it is a bit sploshy, with a texture somewhere between a thick soup and a stew! It is one of my favourite parts of Christmas!

[john and helen]

Was tempted say various things but John may not appreciate the humour, so I'll just say picture made me smile :-)

me not appreciate humour 

thats been my biggest down fall..i have a very bad sense of humour 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Louise in our house that would be called Turkey Stewp. Yummy

[Rosemary]

We eat such good food all year - for which we are grateful - that it's hard to "raise the bar" at the festive season.

We've our "wee do" tomorrow so that's got my festive spirit going Decorations are almost up and I'm off to make mince pies and ice the cake. Dan's sorting out the music - seems to include the soundtrack from "Brave" 

Got Guinness for the ponies' breakfasts too.

[Lesley Silvester]

I have a limit of £25 per person and I stick to it. No one ever complains that I am mean and they appreciate what they have. If any of our children said that £300 was not enough to spend on one child, they would find I lowered it next time. Children get so much these days that it's difficult to know what to get them that they don't already have.

[Fleecewife]

I think I must be very hard hearted - if anyone ever complained about a present I gave them, then I would take it back and they'd not get another.  I've done it before.  Certain relatives children don't get anything because they're the grab-grab kind.  If parents can't instil a bit of good manners into their kids then it's a sad world.  For our own grandchildren, we try to give them an activity they can all do together, rather than a nine minute wonder - they've had a few riding lessons, learned to ski, been go-karting, farm park tickets, things like that.  The youngest one likes my jumpers so he's easy 

[Buttermilk]

Well I am stocked up at vast expense as the Co-op had an offer of a turkey crown, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing balls, sprouts, yorkshire puds and an ice cream desert all for £10.  Ok it is all frozen but I dont care as it means that it will get eaten as only what is needed will get cooked and the rest is there for another day.

Presents are homemade nuno felted scarves for the ladies and diaries for the men and if any nephews/nieces call to visit they will get to take home a piece of lamb from the freezer.  My grand daughter has four presents the cost of which totals less than £20.

I do not do spending unless I have to.

[Rupert the bear]

Presents are homemade nuno felted scarves for the ladies and diaries for the men and if any nephews/nieces call to visit they will get to take home a piece of lamb from the freezer.  My grand daughter has four presents the cost of which totals less than £20.

I do not do spending unless I have to.

This is how it should be.