The Changing Cost of Christmas

THE CHANGING COST OF CHRISTMAS We break down a decade of festive spending and find unexpected glimmers of Christmas cheer... FEEL GOOD ABOUT CHRISTMAS 2001* 2011 Gifts £403 £410 +£7 Food and drink £204 £152 -£52 Socialising £175 £67 -£108 Total £783 £634 -£149 "All figures have been adjusted for inflation Over the past ten years the total amount we spend on Christmas has fallen by approximately a quarter. However, a closer look at the figures shows that while socialising and spending on food and drink has dropped, we still give as much, if not more to others. GOOD BOOZE NEWS We now drink 10.5 MORE pints per head of cider than in 2001. But we drink only 3.6 MORE litres of wine. And we drink 56.4 pints LESS beer. II Duty on alcohol like beer, wine and cider has risen. But one of those drinks is keeping a distinctly lower profile. Mulled cider anyone? 42p 2011 20p 53p 27p 19p 5p 15p 15p 34p 2001 BEER CIDER WINE (per pint) (per pint) (per glass) SOMEONE'S BEING GREEDY & IT'S NOT US Due to the grain crisis and speculative trading most food prices have risen. Only the price of carrots has dropped! Rather than let this eat into our gift budget, we have simply decided to be less greedy. But thanks be to little miracles: the price of carrots has dropped! 2001 2011 £0.62kg £0.52kg E0.92kg E0.62kg E1.30kg Eo.57kg £8.35kg £11.19kg HOMEGROWN The cost of Christmas trees, based on the devaluation of the pound to the Danish krone, has risen. 2011 £22.75 2001 Luckily nearly 95% of trees in the UK are grown in the UK. Check wholesale prices before you buy. That way you can push for a bargain. E15.00 SPENDING ON OTHERS The number of people leaving their Christmas shopping to the last minute has grown. So if you haven't already, get shopping now. Leaving christmas shopping until Christmas Eve 2001 2011 4% 14% £13.4bn will be spent in shops online this Christmas In 2001, £1.8bn was spent by six million Brits shopping online over a whole year. But we are spending more than ever on each other. The British are known for their charitable nature. On average the number of people giving in December rises by 5%. SOURCES http://bit.ly/sVE9zg http://bit.ly/tEAxe0 http://your.asda.com/press-centre http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2071671/How-cheapest-Christmas-turkey-2011.html http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/factsheets/consumption-uk.pdf http://bit.ly/sLiroT http://www.delivermeachristmastree.com/2011%20Download%20Wholesale%20Christmas%20tree%20prices.pdf http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/industry/sectors/eggspoultry/documents/turkey-geese-report.pdf ............. .......:......... .... .: .....................