I know how tempting it can be to overspend at this time of year. I’ve definitely had Christmases where we’ve run up credit card debt and spent January stressing about it. Just the other day, I heard an advert in a shop encouraging people to use “buy now, pay later” - it’s everywhere right now, and it makes overspending feel almost normal. But it’s so important not to lose sight of what Christmas is really about. You can make beautiful memories with your children without spending a penny. So, this is how I keep Christmas meaningful in my own home.
- Alternative Christmas PJs - I think Christmas matching pyjamas are so expensive! I always get a cheap festive top from Primark for usually £1 or £2 and pair it with pyjama bottoms that we already have. It still feels fun and Christmassy without the unnecessary cost.
- No Christmas cards - This might be a little controversial, but I stopped buying Christmas cards after one year when I realised I’d spent £30 and they all ended up in the bin anyway. There are so many better alternatives now. You can send e-cards online with lovely festive designs, cutting out both the cost and the waste. If you still love traditional cards, buy one affordable pack (you can find them for around £1!) and hand them out in person instead of paying for postage. It’s more personal and saves a small fortune.
- Have honest chats - Now’s the perfect time to have open conversations with family and friends about what’s affordable this year. We really need to break the social pressure of “bigger is better” when it comes to gifting. Thoughtful, affordable gifts often mean so much more and help everyone enjoy the season without stress.
- Normalise second hand gifting - I’m a big advocate for normalising second-hand gifting! Vinted and charity shops are absolute goldmines. I recently popped into a charity shop and found some of the year’s most popular books that were nearly new and perfect for gifting. One idea I love is creating a bundle of 12 charity shop books to gift as a “read one per month” stack for the year ahead. Many items on Vinted still have their tags on and are completely new - just for a fraction of the price.
- Affordable advent calendars - Advent calendars are another sneaky cost that can add up quickly - but they don’t have to! It should be completely normal not to spend £50+ on one. I buy my kids £1 chocolate calendars and they absolutely love them. It’s the excitement that counts, not the price tag.
- Christmas events - Remember, you don’t have to see Santa everywhere or book every expensive festive outing. Some of the best memories come from slow, cosy days at home - baking gingerbread, melting chocolate into Christmas moulds, or doing crafts (The Works have great little kits for £1!). These are the days I look back on most fondly from my own childhood.
So take this as your reminder: you don’t need a Pinterest-perfect house or a huge budget to make Christmas magical. My kids think paper chains everywhere are pure magic!
It’s not normal to spend thousands at Christmas - it shouldn’t be about all the stuff, but about being with the people you love. Consumerism will always tell you that you need more, but when I think back to my own childhood, I don’t remember the things. I remember the laughter, the smells, the little traditions we created at home.
I hope this has been a helpful reminder for you this Christmas to slow down, spend less, and enjoy more.
