Families cut travel, give practical gifts to save money this Christmas
As the cost-of-living crisis looms large, some families will be opting for practical gifts, like toiletries or shoes, and cutting back on travel and luxury toys in a bid to save money this Christmas.
Warwick Davidson manages community engagement and support for charity Uniting, and said while Christmas was a time of joy, it was also a time of stress for many people.
“Some people that have been attending our emergency relief services have already been indicating to us that without assistance from ourselves or other food assistance providers in the region, they wouldn’t be able to put on a Christmas lunch or dinner,” he said.
What are people sacrificing?
Mr Davidson said people were being forced to make tough decisions due to the cost of living.
“Parents often make a choice to go without so that they can try and provide a Christmas for their children,” he said.
Donations help struggling families put presents under the tree. (Supplied: Nathan Hodges)
In some cases, it is a matter of focusing on the essentials like shoes, clothing, toiletries and sporting equipment.
“Some parents have indicated to us that they’re choosing to buy practical gifts for their children this year rather than toys because they can’t afford to do both,” Mr Davidson said.
Some parents can’t afford to buy toys for their children this year. (ABC News: Meg Bolton)
In most cases, “budgets are tighter than ever,” with the cost of bills, rent and everyday items, “through the roof”, Mr Davidson said.
He said one area families would also cut back on was travel.
“People have indicated they’re not going to travel to spend time with family because of the cost of travel, the cost of accommodation and the additional gifts that they might need to buy other people,” Mr Davidson said.
Christmas looks a little different this year
Salvation Army minister and officer Graham Kennedy said the number of people and families using their services this year had increased exponentially.
Demand for Ballarat Salvation Army’s services is on the rise. (ABC Ballarat: Rochelle Kirkham)
He said for Salvation Army’s “Christmas Cheer” program alone, the service supported 400 families in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat in two days.
“These families have to sacrifice toys for food, according to stories that we’re getting, but thankfully we can compensate with toys here,” he said.
Food donations are helping families afford other items at Christmas. (ABC News: Jade Toomey)
Mr Kennedy said the demographic of people seeking assistance was changing.
“This year we found that with our Doorways program, which is emergency relief and case management, we are finding an increase of families coming in, but also families that we don’t usually see,” he said.
He said it was not just homeless or unemployed people needing help, “it’s working people because they’re unable to afford food”.
