\n\t\t\t\t\tChristmas pyjamas, Elf on the Shelf, Winter Wonderland – what to cut out for a cheaper, less stressful festive season\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
Christmas <\/a>is a tough time \u2013 we are busy and overwhelmed by things to organise. We are also over-stretched financially \u2013 few parents will be that surprised by the survey this week showing it now costs \u00a3249,000 on average to raise a child. <\/p>\n This burden is not aided by the increasing \u201cfamily traditions\u201d that are now heavily commercialised. It feels hard to push back on some of them \u2013 and once you get on the bandwagon, it proves difficult to get off without looking like a modern-day Mum-Scrooge.<\/p>\n However, there are some things this year that I am putting my foot down on, and it will save me thousands<\/a>.<\/p>\n New FeatureIn ShortQuick Stories. Same trusted journalism.<\/p>\n My anti-Christmas list<\/p>\n 1. The entire family in Christmas pyjamas<\/p>\n When did we all have to wear matching pyjamas? I remember a couple of years ago it was sort of a thing, but now it seems that it\u2019s become a prerequisite for having a proper, family Christmas \u2013 and not just for kids<\/a>.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll admit that I sometimes get them for my daughters (I\u2019m still on the fence a little in that regard), but for the whole family, and the PETS? Luckily, we have cats and they won\u2019t clamber into a pair of pyjamas without sedation, which isn\u2019t very festive. <\/p>\n I can\u2019t be the only one who thinks that matching pyjamas perhaps looks a bit cultish, and perhaps even a bit NAFF? A bit awkward? Like you wish you were anywhere else than in this particular spot right now? Also, why is it necessary to gift pyjamas the night before Christmas when your kids are going to be getting presents the next day? Let\u2019s get off that Christmas pyjama bandwagon. Let\u2019s wear the ones from last year, or god forbid, not buy Christmas ones at all. <\/p>\n Cost saved: \u00a360\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 2. Ridiculous festive meal occasions that have been invented by food brands<\/p>\n I\u2019m talking about how we are expected to eat certain things at breakfast on Christmas Day (and not just have a smallish breakfast <\/a>so we can save room for the main event). And also eat certain things on Christmas Eve, like tiny canap\u00e9s, mini kebab mince pies<\/a> or rotisserie chickens on sticks. I honestly only care about Christmas dinner and luckily most of my family are the same.<\/p>\n And yes, on the day we can definitely pull crackers because that is what we do at Christmas but not the crackers that cost 20 quid each because they have a silk eye mask in each one or something equally ridiculous. <\/p>\n Cost saved: \u00a3100\u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Table decorations that are eye-wateringly expensive<\/p>\n I do love seeing those pictures of idealised Christmas tables with a special \u2018theme\u2019, and a table display and matching tableware, and serving dishes etc, but investing in items that are only used once a year feels wasteful, and who has space to store all that stuff for the other 364 days of the year. <\/p>\n Last year, I used a cheap Santa tablecloth, and everyone loved it. It wasn\u2019t very environmentally friendly, perhaps, but it was used to cover up a bike for 6 months in the garden afterwards, so, actually, not too bad. <\/p>\n I did look at a gorgeous one that had built-in lights,\u00a0but then I reminded myself that it had nowhere to live the rest of the year, and it was better to give that money to charity. <\/p>\n Cost saved: minimum \u00a3100 <\/p>\n 4. Advent calendars with full-size beauty products <\/p>\n This was definitely not a thing when I was growing up. We got advent calendars<\/a> (if we got them at all) with chocolates inside, and that was really great. I was genuinely excited when I found a chocolate inside. Fast forward to modern times and there\u2019s a tween opening a full-size anti-ageing skincare cream and complaining that she already has it (this happens in some households, I\u2019m sure). They are also environmentally bad as they produce so much packaging. <\/p>\n Cost saved: \u00a365 at least\u00a0<\/p>\n 5. Special clothes for Christmas Day that have to be either tartan or covered in sequins<\/p>\n Do you need to wear an entire outfit that is only okay for one day? No. <\/p>\n Cost saved: \u00a3100 and then some.\u00a0<\/p>\n 6. Stockings for pets<\/p>\n