Paying For Christmas

I know you know that I love Christmas. I love Christmas for several hundred reasons and as such I like to celebrate it for the whole of Advent, with good food, nice drinks and plenty of FUN! The problem is that Christmas can be expensive, it doesn't have to be, but it can be.

So every year, Daddy and I set a budget and we work out just what we're going to spend on what. We take into account gifts for friends and family and coworkers. We work out a budget for Christmas dinner (because that meal is a VERY special meal and so all food eaten on that day gets almost a weeks shopping budget spent on it!) and for special meals around the season. We work out a budget for food and drink for our friends and family when they pop in over the season. We work out a budget for trips and events that we want to participate in (trips to Santa, Panto etc) and for wrapping paper and Christmas cards and well, everything that one family could possibly need.

Don't get me wrong, for me the whole point of Christmas is that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but I love the rest of the celebrations that we take part in.

Big Boy's Nativity Scene

This year, as normal I've been being good and buying small things throughout the year. Rolls of cellotape here, parts of Christmas outfits there, small things to help Santa out with (Santa asks me to send money to him at the North Pole or a few small toys and things I think the children might like for their Stockings, as he needs to spend the money he does have on children who are less fortunate than us) and of course food and drink items that will last until at least the end of the year.

I've also been being good and saving up my Swagbucks, and using them to pay for vouchers to buy various gifts online and I've already purchased Top Ender's main gift (which is now hiding in my wardrobe along with a few other bits and pieces I've picked up.

BUT.

Is Christmas a big deal for you and your family? And if it is how do you pay for Christmas?