經濟的不景氣，失業人口增多，生活消費依舊高漲，許多人感到手頭拮据。但是沒有必要因此而取消過聖誕節。你需要做的是接受專家的幾點建議，你就能陷入節日的熱情中，即使你在購物資金不多。下面將告訴你怎麼做······
With the recession hitting home, unemployment rising and the cost of living still at a high, most people are feeling the pinch. But there's no need to cancel Christmas. All you need to do is take some tips from the experts and you can get into the festive spirit, even if you're shopping on a shoestring. Here's how....
1/9 裝飾
DIY decorations help cut Christmas costs (Image (c) Getty Images)
自己做裝飾品曾被認為是吝嗇鬼和怪人的專利，但是現在不是了。想像一下蠟燭插在蘋果上，周圍鋪上草木。門上的花圈就用樹枝和細鐵絲編製而成。在桌子上放上結霜的葡萄，這個葡萄是通過在蛋白中浸泡然後在表面塗上白糖製成的。索菲·康蘭這位設計師的後代，用冬青樹、帶漿果的常青籐、桉樹和松樹球果來裝飾她的家。
Making your own decorations may once have been the preserve of skinflints and eccentrics, but not any more. Think candle displays set in apples and surrounded by greenery, door wreaths made with branches and chicken wire and table displays of frosted grapes created by dipping them in egg white and coating them in sugar. Sophie Conran, scion of the design dynasty, uses holly and ivy with berries, eucalyptus and pine cones to decorate her home.
Budget gifts wisely or give home-made presents (Image (c) Getty Images)
雪梨·康蘭這位女超人，告訴你應該限制你送禮的範圍以及價格。"打算比往常少花點錢在送禮上，你應該只為小於12歲的孩子和你愛的人買禮物，即便如此你也要把花費限制在20~25英鎊之間。"如果你對自製禮物還存在疑惑的話，其實沒有必要。著名廚師迪莉婭·史密斯說："找出接受者最喜歡的蛋糕類型，比如：棕色巧克力型的，買個混勻缽，把原材料干粉放進去，再繫上個字條註明她們需要再加的東西。這就是個不錯的禮物（呵呵）。"
Shirley Conran, the original Superwoman, says to limit who you buy for and how much you spend. "Plan to spend much less than usual. You should only buy presents for the under-12s and your loved ones, and even then you must impose a £20 or £25 limit." If in doubt stick to home-made gifts, which are always appreciated, says celebrity chef Delia Smith. "Find out the recipient's favourite cake. If, for example, it's chocolate brownies, buy a mixing bowl and layer up all the dried ingredients needed. Attach the recipe showing what they need to add."
3/9 禮品包裝
Try alternatives to gift wrap this season (Image (c) Getty Images)
你沒要必要花高價在禮品包裝緞帶上，你可以從舊雜誌或者目錄上撕下幾頁紙，還有就是不要忘了用布包。接下來就是包上牛皮紙，用絲帶綁上上開起來棒極了。模特迪·莫米說："用剩餘的牆紙或者可回收的紙來包裝你的禮物。這樣包裝對於像化妝品和衣物這種比較難包裝的禮品也變得簡單了。"
You don't need to waste pounds on expensive gift wrap, you could use pages torn out of old magazines or catalogues and don't forget fabric. Then there's brown paper, which looks stunning tied up with ribbon (recycled from an old present or bouquet of flowers preferably) or raffia. Dee Momi, of Clotheshorse, said: "Make your own gift bags from old wallpaper remnants and recycled papers. This works well for items such as toiletries and clothing which can be awkward to wrap."
4/9 聖誕賀卡
Find alternatives to costly cards (Image (c) Getty Images)
據估計，聖誕節人們花費在賀卡和郵資上的金錢高達40英鎊，因此這也是我們減少花費的一條途徑。你可以郵寄電子賀卡。他們是免費的和環保的。如果你選擇郵寄"真實"的賀卡你最好自己製作。來自綠黨的艾倫·弗蘭斯說："從環保的角度，你自己做賀卡是非常完美的，尤其是父母和爺爺奶奶能收到來自孩子和孫子的手工賀卡更顯得有意義。"
It's estimated that we spend as much as £40 on cards and postage at Christmas, so this is one way to cut costs. You could send an e-card. They're free and they're environmentally friendly. If you prefer to send "real" cards you could make your own. Alan Francis, from the Green Party, said: "From an environmental point of view it's nice to actually make your own cards. It's especially nice for parents and grandparents to receive handmade cards from their children and grandchildren."
5/9 派對裝備
Customise an old outfit instead of buying new (Image (c) Getty Images)
沒有什麼比定做更酷了，因此升級你的裝備而不是買新的。並且你也沒有必要去自己去縫製。鏡報時尚編輯安博·莫拉爾說："便宜的時尚裝備如彩色的緊身衣和亮麗的手套和領帶能賦予陳舊的裝備新的氣息。""不用乾洗"，《節儉書：生活得好和化得少》的作者英蒂亞·奈特說："任何標籤上說‘乾洗'東西都可以用手洗，任何在標籤上說‘只能幹洗'的東西也仍舊可能可以用手洗，但是操作上要小心。"
It's never been cooler to customise, so update outfits rather than buying new. And you don't even have to sew. "Cheap fashion fixes like coloured tights and bright gloves and scarves will give dated outfits a lift," said Mirror fashion editor Amber Morales. Don't dry clean either. India Knight, author of The Thrift Book: Live Well and Spend Less, said: "Anything that has a label saying ‘dry clean' can be washed by hand. Anything that has a label saying ‘dry clean ONLY' can probably still be washed by hand, but approach with caution."
6/9 聖誕正餐
Shop for deals or visit cheaper super markets (Image (c) Getty Images)
聰明的購物，你將節約你的財富。烹飪女王迪莉婭·史密斯說："如果你要為做迪莉婭的神奇熏魚餡餅買材料，你得記住你買熏魚邊角比整塊的熏魚划算。"她還說在哪裡購買也得精明。"像熏魚，土豆沙拉和腰果，舉個例子說在Lide超市買就不錯。"因此你就去那裡買。
Shop smart and you can save a fortune. Cookery queen Delia Smith said: "If you're making recipes such as Delia's Wonderful Smoked Salmon Tart, remember that you can buy smoked salmon trimmings much more cheaply than slices." And she also says be canny where you shop too. "Items such as smoked salmon, potato salad and cashew nuts, for example, are superb at Lidl". So there you have it!
7/9 聖誕酒水
Search for deals before buying drink (Image (c) Getty Images)
留意那些週期性打折的酒水。你可以在我的超市網（mysupermarket.co.uk）上比較"四大"超市的價格。如果你是大量購買可以通過批發商或者過海去國外買。如果能提供更好的買賣，不要害怕那些自家牌子的酒。畢竟，大多數人再喝上少許並不能分辨出什麼不一樣。如果你要招待一個批愛喝的客人，可以混兌葡萄酒--你可以僥倖的去購買便宜的紅酒，其實沒人會注意到酒中摻雜了其他成分。
Keep an eye out for seasonal discounts on drink. You can compare prices at the "Big 4" supermarkets at mysupermarket.co.uk. If you're bulk-buying you could go to a wholesaler or across the Channel. And don't be scared of own brands, if they're offering a better deal. After all, most people can't tell the difference after a few drinks. And if you're playing host to a lot of drinkers, make mulled wine - you can get away with buying the cheapest red and no one will notice once the other ingredients have been added.
8/9 燃氣和電費賬單
Watch the meter and unplug unused appliances (Image (c) Andrew Milligan/PA Photos)
燃氣和電費賬單在寒冷、黑暗的冬季幾個月中飆升，我們中的許多人在11月到2月的費用是全年的40%。利用在線比較網站去確認你得到最優惠的燃氣和電的價格。節能基金會有兩條最優聖誕省錢建議：當電充滿就盡快地拔掉（手機、筆記本、數碼相機和MP3播放器的）充電器。不要讓電器在待命狀態，不用就立即切斷電源。讓電器處待命狀態讓中等家庭每年浪費37英鎊。
Gas and electricity bills jump over the cold, dark winter months, with many of us spending around 40% of our annual usage between November and February. Use online comparison sites to make sure you're getting the best deal on gas and electricity. The Energy Saving Trust has two top Christmas money-saving tips: Unplug chargers (for your mobile, laptop, digital camera and MP3 player) as soon as they're charged. And don't leave electronics on standby, switch them off. The average household wastes £37 a year by leaving electronics on standby.
9/9 派對
Host a party the budget-friendly way (Image (c) Getty Images)
如果你是一個丟下你的鋪張盛宴，你仍可以給你的客人一個經濟低迷數月後的美好的時光。"在食物方面，考慮提供些量大的開胃食物和少量的口味來省錢，"事件協調者瑪麗·Coch說。"或者讓你的客人自帶盤裝菜和瓶裝菜來減少你的開支"。當提到酒水方面，Coch建議囤積些合算的啤酒和葡萄酒，到時一次性的特定飲用比如說作為表示歡迎的開胃酒或者睡前飲料。
If you're the one throwing this year's bash, you can still give your guests a good time without suffering a financial hangover for months after. "For food, think about serving heavy appetizers and small plates of different tastes to save money," said event coordinator Mary Coch. Or you could ask guests to bring a dish and/or a bottle to save you from all the cost. And when it comes to drink, Coch suggests stocking up with budget-friendly beer and wine, and then offering a one-off speciality drink as a welcome aperitif, or a nightcap.
