For many, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be the most expensive time of the year as the costs of gifts and family visits quickly add up.
This is certainly the case for Aurora, who wrote to Mail columnist Bryony Gordon’s podcast for festive advice.
“Every year I spend too much on Christmas gifts because I hate the idea of looking cheap,” Aurora wrote. “But this year things are different.”
The woman, who preferred to use an alias, further confesses that she lost her job in June but “didn’t tell anyone.”
“Now my budget is obviously tight.” she said. ‘I’m not handy, so making homemade gifts is out of the question and I’m struggling with how to go about it.
“Should I just be honest with everyone about why I’m withdrawing, or is that too difficult?”
The anonymous listener said she even “thought about lying” and telling friends and family that she had made a donation to charity in their name.
“But isn’t that terrible?” Aurora asked. “How do I deal with this without feeling guilty or letting people down, especially myself?”
Christmas can be an expensive time of year when you’re buying presents and visiting family (Stock Image)
In the latest episode of The Life of Bryony, the author and podcaster was joined by her family: Jane, Jack and Rufus Gordon.
And it was Jack, Bryony’s father, who immediately came to give some ‘wise’ advice for Aurora.
“Honesty is the best policy,” he said bluntly.
Bryony’s brother Rufus mocked his resolve and said, “Next question.”
Bryony offered Aurora a more detailed answer, suggesting that she let her family know about the loss of her job and subsequent financial problems “because they might want to help.”
The award-winning journalist said: ‘Christmas isn’t just about presents. It’s about family and love, and there are other ways you can show that at Christmas.
“Your family should love you unconditionally so that they will love you no matter what you get them, and maybe a gift to them this year might be the honesty.
‘Maybe they would really like to support you in this.’
If you’re struggling with finances this holiday season, Bryony Gordon recommends telling your family and friends the truth (Stock Image)
Her father agreed, saying, “Give them a chance to show some Christmas spirit.”
Jack then suggested that ‘sometimes the best gifts are more thoughtful than expensive’, before speaking out about his own Christmas spending.
When he spoke to his sister, he said: I bought you a milk frother last year.
‘How much do you think a milk frother costs? It’s like a hundred pounds.
Does he also produce milk? Is there a little cow in there?’
Podcast host Bryony then interrupts him and says sarcastically: ‘That put us in danger answering a question sensibly and succinctly until we had to start working on the damn milk frother.”
She joked: ‘Aurora – there’s a milk frother with your name on it.’
Have you ever felt like life is a little…too much? Bestselling author and journalist Bryony Gordon is here to leave the shame behind and delve into the messier bits of life. Look for The Life of Bryony wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes appear every Monday and Friday.