Christmas is a time for joy (it says here) but frequently it can be a time of stress, arguements and monetary woe. With that in mind, in the current credit crunch climate, it's easy to see why many parents will dreading the upcoming festive season.
But Christmas needn't be an expensive blowout that burns a ridiculous hole in your wallet - while the average family of five will spend an average of £400 on christmas this year (according to research comissioned by Tomy toys) we reckon it can be done for less.
A lot less.
Bouyed by the spirits of festive cheer, fun, and frugality, Dads' Space decided to try and see if we could pull off Christmas for a family of five for £50. It needed to have all the trimmings - a tree, decorations, cards, presents, and, most importantly, plenty of food and drink. And we made it. But only just.
Want to see how we did it? Check out the links below - we'll be adding a new part every day this week!
Credit Crunch Christmas Part 1: Decorations
Credit Crunch Christmas Part 2: Cards and gifts
Credit Crunch Christmas Part 3: Food and Drink
Credit Crunch Christmas Part 4: The shopping list!