As we come towards the end of one of the most difficult years any of us can remember, we are perhaps looking forward to the Christmas festivities more than ever – not that we know at the moment how it’s actually going to play out.

Despite all the uncertainty, planning is well under way in most households. The decorations are already up, the turkey is on order, the presents are ready for wrapping and Santa has fuelled up the sleigh. The nation is about to go on its annual spending spree like no other.

How can you ensure you don’t get carried away?

It was reported from a national poll last year that the average UK family (however that is defined!) was planning to spend over £800 on Christmas – a sobering number if we needed one at such a time. So what can we do to ensure that we don’t get carried away?

Working out a budget is a good place to start. There is no benefit to spending randomly with no idea of how much it’s going to cost in total. That is a recipe for disaster in the shape of debt that you’ll spend much of 2021 trying to pay off.

Don’t be pressured into ‘tit for tat’ present buying. Restrict the number of people you buy for to those you really want to give to, not those that someone has told you to include on your present list. The idea that it’s ‘the thought that counts’ is a wise statement.

There are always people who have less than you

It’s far too easy to get carried away with online shopping. Buy only the items that you need and ignore all those tempting advertising banners that pop up all too regularly on our screens.

Remember there are always people who have less than you and your budget will seem really attractive to them. You don’t need to ‘keep up with the Jones’s’ by spending more than you can afford.

And if all else fails, just resort to ‘Bah Humbug’ and pretend that Christmas doesn’t exist. You won’t need to do that really – it’s a time of great joy, whatever the circumstances. Have a great one.