We’ve cut back. Also, we’ve spread the cost over the past few months. Buying presents during the sales.
95% of presents bought.

I start buying gifts early in the year, before the retailers have the chance to push up the prices, with the result that I don’t have to go into debt at Christmas, and most of my shopping is done by October. A small gift once a month through the remaining months of the year spreads the cost evenly. While I am sorry for Jackie Crowe’s situation, I think robbing your children of the magic of Christmas is terrible. My parents didn’t have much when we were growing up, but there was always something under our tree, and a little something in our stockings, even if just a storybook (most bookstores will have a 3 for EUR5 special on kid’s books) and some sweets, or fruit. There are so many great things you can do for your children without breaking the bank: activity books, art sets, and other small gifts from the Euro store can keep the magic alive for our children, even when times are tight.

Lean mean christmas machine this year. One present each, mostly bought on internet, some home-made gifts (food stuff, etc.) and treat ourselves with food and booze and time together. Kids are young enough to not be too bothered about how much they get (both under 5).

We agreed to spend no more than 20 euros on each other, and to make more of the food and presents from scratch.

With heightened taxes in the form of income tax, the USC and VAT, along with higher fuel costs, the wick has been burned at both ends. People simply cannot afford what they used to.

Austerity may yet kill the retail sector.

I have no idea how I’ll pay for Christmas. I couldn’t borrow even if I wanted to because I couldn’t pay it back. By the time my bills are paid there will be nothing left and considering my husbands hours and wages are cut for the winter there is even less. I have been feeling sick with worry over the last few weeks about what to do. I have 4 little ones and present will have to be the cheapest of the cheap. So depressed :-(

You are a very level headed lady jackie and obviously you have a very mature helpful and understanding daughter. I wish you all the best of luck in your future and I wish you a very merry Christmas and a luckier new year.

If we all hold back prices will fall and there will be pre christmas sales. I have seen this happen in the UK and in the States.

My family has stopped giving presents years ago. Instead we spend a lot of time together, go for dinner and share the love. Three positive effects from this:
a) nobody is pressured into spending any money they may not have.
b) Everyone escapes the stress from fighting their way through overcrowded shopping arcades trying to find presents for everyone.
c) No one ends up with an armful of useless junk.

Try it. It’s so much more fun and the stress levels are considerably lower.

I never spend much on christmas if I can help it – just toys for the kids and a bit of nice food- shopping spoils christmas and makes it stressful – we’d rather enjoy it – we don’t need loads of new stuff to be happy at Christmas. Wouldn’t deprive children of a couple of nice toys at christmas though – my own mother saved up all year and managed to get us nice things every Christmas even though she had nothing really to spare. My Grandmother always gave us toys and books she collected in Charity shops and we never knew any better and were delighted with whatever it was- she could have afforded new stuff but is of the older prudent generation who lived through the war. When I visited her as a child I found her secret stash of second hand toys and books under her sofa seat – she had presents collected years in advance all from charity shops – maybe she thought the blitz would come back! The problem now is that kids want electronic toys and they are so expensive.

If I thought I would not be able to buy presents for family, I would stop going out at weekends, Christmas is for children, would stay inside for 3 months if it came down to it. Luckily I do not have that concern. Spend 9 weeks inside in 2008. Mortgage or clubbing?

GameStop and adverts.ie are pretty good for 2nd hand electronics like dsi’s and games ect, I am going down that route kids don’t really mind once they work and play after a couple weeks they’ll be forgot about.

Folks I dont have to borrow for Christmas cause i have a budget plan with my Credit Union and one of the items is Christmas expenses so I pay for it over 50 weeks along with lots of other bills and it cost’s me only €28 per year so talk to your Credit Union to see if they operate a budget plan and if they don’t then loby them to set one up, it’s self paying and costs the Credit Union nothing.

I certainly won’t be spending anymore than a couple of hundred so should be able to cover it with along my usual outgoings. I can remember years when I spend up to a grand on my credit card, I will never be this silly again!

There are alternatives to spending a lot of money. When times have been hard in the past people made do with simpler gesture to clebrate. It isn’t, and shouldn’t be, solely a consumerfest. I agree with Jackie, above, that it isn’t worth going into debt for the sake of a few hours of indulgence on one day of the year.
And if that makes me Ebenezer Scrooge well, sorry, . . . . . . BAH!! HUMBUG!

I did most of my shopping in September on a trip up North, the remainder I sourced online. Amazon and Ebay are my go to websites. Got quality gifts for a fraction of what I would have paid in the Rip Off Republic.

Recession christmas presents this year, just have to be smart about it,

Anyway, Christmas is not about the presents or how much you spend on them, more about the religious and family side of it which is more important,

so glad im not a christian

Where is the point that says: No. I don’t do christmas presents?

We’re pooling all our present money from adults and teenagers and buying something from Bothar or another charity. If anyone wants to buy something for themselves, they’ll do that at the sales. Result – No unwanted gifts.

I have told my kids there will be no presents this Xmas, and we have decided to have a good old Irish Breakfast as a Turkey would be a waste of money that we dont have, and we will not take a loan as we could not repay it, we are on single family allowance, i lost my job over 2 years ago and struggling to pay mortgage and live, and there are no jobs i am first at paper going around to businesses and walking door to door, we will splurge hopefully and get a bag of coal and have some heating as last year my pipes broke and we could not put on a fire as coal heats our radiators. Presents i think should be a thing of the past and necessities would do better for most family’s

Wheres the option for:

No, I am at my spending & borrowing limit & cannot afford to partake in Christmas in any way shape or form.

I’m sure many of your readers are in this position. Personally, I’ve had to leave the country & my new Muslim countrymen don’t celebrate Chrimbo…

Lord remind me not to moan or be honest on this page as people are out to get you. Guys show a bit of compassion we all have mobiles etc its nesessary in this day and age.

People will find that the credit unions lending criteria will be very strict this year. Calling in for the usual ‘no hassle’ few quid for the Christmas is a thing of the past. Some that have consistently borrowed and paid back for Xmas and are expecting the same this year may be in for a shock IMHO. It’ll be a paradise for loan sharks !

Luckily I have my didley otherwise I’d be up the creek