Christmas Planner and Budget

Who this is for

Christmas on one page, with the money counted. A presents table with a line per person, a second for food, travel and the rest, and both set against what you set aside.

Whoever does the Christmas shopping for a household and would like to reach the day knowing what was spent, what is still to buy and what is still to wrap.

What this helps you track

• Who you are buying for, the idea, and what you meant to spend on each
• What was actually spent, and the difference line by line
• Which presents are bought and which are wrapped
• Food, travel, cards, decorations and the rest, in their own table
• The whole of Christmas against the amount you set aside

How to use it

1. Write the year and the total you have set aside at the top. That figure is yours; the sheet does not suggest one.
2. List everyone you are buying for in the presents table with a gift idea and the amount you intend to spend.
3. As you buy, fill in the spent column and tick bought. Tick wrapped when it is done — the two ticks are what the last week runs on.
4. Use the second table for everything that is not a present: food and drink, travel, cards and postage, decorations, outings.
5. The difference columns and the summary are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, subtract across and add down.
6. Keep the sheet after the day. Next year's planned column starts from this year's spent column.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How much should I set aside for Christmas?

The sheet does not say. It depends on your income, your family and how you celebrate. Enter the figure you have decided on and the summary shows how the two tables measure up against it.

What does the difference column mean?

Budget less spent, so a positive number is under and a negative number is over. The summary adds both tables up so the drift across the whole of Christmas is one figure.

Can I add more people than the printed rows?

On paper, a second sheet or the notes area. The browser version adds rows without limit, and the workbook has spare rows below the table.

Is there a version for other festivals?

The layout is not specific to Christmas — a presents table and an everything-else table suit any occasion where gifts and a meal collide. Cross out the heading and use it.