Hosting Family for the Holidays: What does it really cost? 

Hosting Family for the Holidays: What does it really cost? 

Our “What does it really cost” series sheds light on how much different people across the country spend on the big life events: having a baby, taking a sabbatical year, moving, getting a master’s degree, buying a house, etc.  This week’s feature is highlighting the true costs for hosting your family for the holidays.

Location: Denver, CO

Age: 36

 

What was your total cost for hosting family for the holidays?

I am hosting my parents and brother for the first time this year.  In total so far I’ve spent $1,280 the breakdown is:
 
– Christmas tree (has to be artificial, Mom’s allergic): $320
– Other house decorations, ornaments, Christmas-adjacent items like all the wrapping supplies everyone will need, etc.: $240
– Extra kitchen items for special holiday meals: $100
– Gifts: $155 (so far…)
– Alcohol plus non- perishable grocery shopping: $215
– Food for dinner: $250
 

Final Costs:  About $1,280.

 

Free Clear Long Stem Drinking Glass Stock Photo

Was this more or less than you were expecting?

More, lots of little things keep adding up
 

Were there other options that you considered? What are the pros and cons of this compared to other options?

At the end of the day, I’m very excited to host my parents and wanted to make it feel like ‘home’, so I didn’t seriously consider other options (e.g. doing a little less with the decorations, getting a smaller/less fancy tree).
 
 

What do you wish you would have known before hosting family for the holidays?

Ideally would have started budgeting a bit earlier rather than waiting until end of November-early Dec. to start spending at this rate!
 

In conclusion, this woman’s total cost for hosting her family for the holidays is about $1,280.

We hope this gives you insights into how someone else navigated the costs of hosting family around the holidays. Do these costs surprise you?

 

This post was created as part of the “What does it really cost series?”  Her Personal Finance’s mission is to help high-earning women take charge of their finances.  As an MBA, our founder has a particular passion for supporting this community.  Here is a link to a Q&A with Harvard Business School students about finances in school.  You can also learn more about our founder and our classes on our website.

 

Did you enjoy this post and want to contribute your own story?  Send us an email to eryn@herpersonalfinance.com.


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