This year's biggest Christmas rip-offs

`Tis the season to be jolly, but it can be hard to smile when your bank account is under threat over the Christmas period.

I like Christmas. It’s quite good fun sitting around opening presents, gorging myself on chocolate and turkey (often simultaneously) and not going to Church. But, a lot of people hate Christmas with a passion, and see it as nothing more than a cynical way of extracting precious pounds from their pockets.

Here’s a round-up of some of the biggest Xmas rip-offs to be on your guard against this year:

Christmas Cards

It might seem like a good idea to buy a Christmas card that donates a percentage of the price you pay to a good cause, but beware: some of these so-called ‘charity’ cards actually give as little as 1% to charity.

Why not send a free e-card if you want someone to know you are thinking of them, or better still splash out on a Charity e-card, like these from Shelter. They are easy to use and you can make a donation of your choice. Simple and worthwhile – what more can you ask for?

Christmas theme parks

No one is more vulnerable to seasonal over-spending than the doting parent. There are so many seasonal activities to amuse your little treasures with; but whilst their faces might light up at an unconvincing Father Christmas and a tacky gift, yours will fall when you clock the price.

Themed attractions, such as Lapland UK set in Bewl Water (Kent), have attracted negative attention in previous years, largely due to extortionate ticket prices. A couple of years ago it was reported that anyone over 18 months had to pay an entry fee of £87.50 each to Lapland UK, and to add insult to injury it was an extra £10 to have a photo with Santa!

This year the price has been reduced, although tickets still cost up to a hefty £67, including booking fee, for anyone over 12 months old! The website shows that, despite the price, a lot of slots are already sold out. Last year a friend went and she did report that it was beautifully run and almost worth the hefty price tag – a real treat for the children if you have the spare cash.

 Not all themed parks are worth the money, as the much maligned Lapland New Forest (a completely separate venture to Lapland UK) demonstrated in 2008. Poor weather turned it into a muddy quagmire and reports of shoddy decorations, tethered huskies and a malfunctioning ice-rink all added to the misery. Trading Standards investigated the venture after numerous complaints and it was promptly shut down. The owners were convicted of misleading customers, but not before they had netted a reported £1 million. 

 Santa’s Grotto

An up-market Grotto visit, such as that offered by Hamleys, can be equally eye-watering. The London branch of the world famous toy shop offers an hour slot for you to gobble a quick breakfast, lunch or tea with jolly old Santa, sit on his knee for a few precious seconds, and  then receive a ‘small gift’. All this for the fantastical sum of £45 per child, with an extra tenner if you want a photo! The Glasgow branch offers the same for a cheaper £25, and their Dublin branch a slightly cheaper €25 (about £21) - a fine illustration of extortionate London prices!

Your local shopping centre is likely to have a much more reasonably priced grotto, usually around the £3 - £5 mark with a gift thrown in. Meadowhall near Sheffield charges only £4 and Bluewater in Kent offers a free grotto! Booking is essential though, and spaces fill up quick.

Ice skating

Billed as London’s most glamorous skating experience, the rink at Somerset House is a popular destination. Tickets have to be booked through Ticketmaster, and prices vary depending on times and dates of booking. Speaking to Somerset House, I found out that they no longer offer family tickets, and that adults can expect to pay around £17 for 1 hour of skating at peak times. Children under 12 will pay around £8.50. Expect to pay higher prices via Ticketmaster with their much hated ‘booking fees’ added on top!

The ice rink at the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland costs up to £36 for a family of four (or £13.50 per adult), but entry to the Winter Wonderland itself is free. There is even no charge to visit Santa Claus, if you can stomach the queue! But, with every other attraction at the park charging a separate fee - £4 for a go on the slide, £3 for a turn on the helterskelter, £8 to ride the Big Wheel – you could end up spending a fortune!

Edinburgh is a great place to spend Christmas and has a great array of Festive treats on offer.  To visit Edinburgh’s Ice Rink, one of the largest in Europe, a family of four will pay £27.50 at peak times, and adults are £9.50 each.

Christmas Membership Exclusions

The Tastecard, a diner’s club offering members 50% off their bill at over 5,500 restaurants for an annual membership fee of around £70, can be a truly worthwhile discount card to possess. However, take a look at the small print and disappointingly you are unable to use your Tastecard at most restaurants during the month of December, making cheap Christmas meals harder to come by. No such thing as a free lunch, I suppose. 

Because it’s nice to end on a high note, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my Standard Merlin Pass did not restrict me from entering attractions over the Christmas period. If I so wished, I could visit Chessington for one of its Festive Zoo Days or take a Christmassy spin on the London Eye all for no extra charge!

So, it’s not all bad news. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Spotted any rip-offs? Please share them with other lovemoney.com readers using the comments box below!

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