Mums having to cut back on kids' Christmas presents

More than two thirds of working mums are having to cut back on their children's Christmas presents this year as the economic situation really bites, according to a Workingmums.co.uk poll.

The poll of 213 people shows 70% are cutting back on their children's presents; 17% are getting their kids what they want but shopping around for the best deal; three per cent are cutting back elsewhere and seven per cent are not cutting back at all.

Many of the people who have replied to the poll are facing dire financial circumstances, having lost their jobs. Several of those who have commented are single parents and have had to explain to their children that they cannot have any presents this year.

One mum said: “I'm a single parent and with utility and food costs etc, I cannot afford to do anything else, so Christmas is near on cancelled at our house this year.”

Another commented: “I never thought I'd have to sit my ten year old down and try to explain to him that I can't afford to buy presents this year. He took it quite well, but dealing with that level of guilt isn't fun at all. A friend told me that maybe it's a good thing and this year will be more like Christmas was supposed to be, without the over spending and spoiling of children. I just don't see it that way myself. Being an unemployed single parent really does suck for the first time EVER.”

Others said that, although they were cutting back they felt Christmas was about being together as a family and they were trying to focus on that. A mum of two said: “I am cutting back this year on presents - the budget is reduced for the kids and for adults we are just making presents for each other and getting together for a meal so we will still keep the spirit of Christmas alive.”

Gingerbread, the charity for single parents, has a Christmas top tips factsheet on its site which brings together practical suggestions for making Christmas easier - such as tips for budgeting and savvy present-buying - as well as accounts from single parents about the cost-effective solutions they have for keeping Christmas fun for the family, such as making presents and establishing new traditions.

Paul Nezandonyi at Turn2Us which provides advice for people seeking welfare support, says that it usually sees a fall in the number of people investigating their entitlement to welfare benefits during December, and then a sharp rise in January.

After last Christmas, for example, benefit calculations jumped by 122% in January 2011.

Nezandonyi says: “This suggests that people are busy spending in December and then dealing with the consequences when the bills start coming in in January. And perhaps that they are deciding to use the New Year as a chance to get their finances in order. Ideally, we would want people to be checking their entitlement regularly, especially when they experience a change in circumstances, rather than waiting until they are in financial difficulty.”

For more information on support if you are in financial difficulty, go to Turn2us.