Consumer finance expert shares his top tips for holding your own Christmas market at home to cut costs by 50%

Everybody loves a Christmas market, and if you’re lucky enough to live close to one of these elaborate festive events, then it’s likely to be one of the highlights of the holiday season. Even so, a trip to the Christmas market isn’t cheap and with such a variety of food, drink and gifts on offer, the cost can build up quickly.

To help readers enjoy the Christmas market experience on a budget, Dan Whittaker, consumer finance expert at CashLady.com, has provided his top tips on how to recreate the festive magic from the comfort of your own home, saving around £20.

“They may be a holiday staple, but if you’re planning on heading to a Christmas market this December, be prepared to spend a lot of money! For those who want to get involved in all the fun while saving their pennies in the process, holding a Christmas market at home is a great, budget-friendly alternative.”

“Taking data from Christmas market prices across the UK, we have calculated just how much you could save by foregoing an evening in the city in favour of a cosy, homemade gathering. If you shop in the right places, you can make some serious savings on the same products you would typically find at your local market stalls.”

How to hold a Christmas market at home

Make your own mulled wine

“It wouldn’t be a Christmas market without a warming, delicious glass of mulled wine, but this could set you back as much as £6 per glass at some UK markets.” (Source: Liverpool Echo)

“Making your own mulled wine at home is not only a fun way to get stuck into the festive spirit but will cost you half as much per glass compared to just one serving from a Christmas market. Whether your homemade market caters for a small family gathering or a large group of friends, sourcing your own mulled wine ingredients from your local supermarket will give you much better value for your money.”

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine, 750ml: £5.49 (Source: ALDI)

Plastic cups, 236ml each: £1.25 (Source: TESCO)

Cinnamon sticks: £0.70 (Source: ASDA)

Star Anise: £1.08 (Source: ASDA)

Cloves: £1.20 (Source: ASDA)

Lemons: £0.50 (Source: ALDI)

Caster sugar: £1.39 (Source: ALDI)

Costs:

Total ingredients price: £11.61

Estimated price per cup: £3.87

Savings: £2.13

Recreate a classic Christmas market meal

“Christmas market food and drink may be a great opportunity to try out a variety of delicious, traditional cuisine, but it is also notoriously harsh on your bank account. For example, a mouth-watering pulled pork roll with apple sauce and stuffing could cost as much as £8 (Source: Manchester World), whereas a shop-bought alternative can be valued at almost half of this cost while serving four times as many people.”

“Other popular items on a Christmas market menu include chips, which can cost up to £5 (Source: Yahoo!); hot chocolate, costing as much as £4.50 (Source: Liverpool Echo); donuts, at up to £5 (Source: Liverpool Echo); and churros, which can reach £7 in some places (Source: Manchester Evening News)”.

“Creating your own meal at home is perfect to satiate the appetite of your guests as they browse through all the treats and delights that your market has to offer. We predict that cooking your own versions at home will save you over half the price of the market alternative.”

Ingredients:

Pulled pork roll

4 bread rolls: £0.69 (Source: ALDI)

Slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork: £2.79 (Source: ALDI)

Apple sauce: £0.49 (Source: ALDI)

Sage and onion stuffing: £0.43 (Source: ALDI)

Chips:

Skin on fries: £1.69 (Source: ALDI)

Hot chocolate

Instant hot chocolate: £1.19 (Source: ALDI)

Cream: £1.05 (Source: ALDI)

Marshmallows: £1.05 (Source: ALDI)

4-pack of chocolate Flake bars: £1.25 (Source: ASDA)

Churros

12-pack of churros: £1.99 (Source: ALDI)

Milk chocolate bar: £0.85: (Source: ALDI)

Donuts

5 donuts: £0.90 (Source: ASDA)

Costs:

Total ingredients price: £14.37

Savings: £15.13

Start up a gift exchange

“Community is at the heart of any Christmas market, from the independent stores that sell their handmade gifts to the customers who purchase them. Hosting your own market is the ideal opportunity to encourage your friends, family and neighbours to get involved and make the most of their talents.”

“Whether it’s arts and crafts, festive bakes, or just simply exchanging any unwanted belongings, encouraging your guests to set up their own stalls with items to gift to each other and to the community is a fun, sustainable and cheap way to introduce the Christmas market experience to your home. With the potential to spend well over £50 on gifts sold at your local market, an at-home gift exchange can cost little to nothing and save you some serious money.”

Don’t forget the Christmas music!

“Nothing says Christmas like a playlist of all your favourite holiday tunes. If you’re already subscribed to streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify, then they both offer a variety of curated Christmas playlists to get everyone in the festive mood. For those looking to save their pennies, Spotify offers a free version of their service – just be mindful of the ads. YouTube is also a great place to search for free Christmas music, with endless options at your fingertips.”

CashLady.com have released these comments to provide a cheaper alternative to the Christmas markets for Brits looking to save money this Christmas.