Martin Lewis says people should avoid buying Christmas presents this year

Martin Lewis is advising people not to give Christmas presents this year and celebrate with friends and family instead.

The Money Saving Expert is urging people to not buy Christmas presents and to warn family and friends to not expect anything this year.

He explains that Christmas has become too much about spending and getting into debt rather than a celebration. 

He wrote in The Mirror: “Christmas has wrongly become a retail festival. Instead of a joyous occasion, for many the season of goodwill causes unhappiness, debt and worry. So say it loud, say it proud and say it NOW: ‘I won’t be buying you a present this year.’

“Many buy gifts for others that they know they won’t use, with money they don’t have, causing themselves stress they don’t need.”

He added “We’ve disconnected from why we give gifts.”

He continued, explaining Christmas as ‘a zero-sum game’: “We often buy things we know recipients won’t want, just to tick the box. This tit-for-tat giving means most people end up with tat – cluttering houses, costing money, and filling landfills. It does no one any good.”

“Imagine that I know my mate Noella is hard up. To be generous, I buy her a nice £20 smelly bath bubbles and salts set. Then… she feels obliged to buy me something back.

“The net financial effect is Noella has spent her money to receive the bath bubbles I gave her.

Martin said: “Sometimes the best gift is releasing others from the obligation of having to give to you. It’s time for us to get off this gift-giving treadmill.”

Martin agrees that we should still buy spouses and children gifts but should cut out ‘the ever-extending list of friends, cousins, ­neighbours and teachers we feel obliged to buy for’.

He added: “If you agree, be brave and raise this now. It could mean a happier Christmas (and less indebted new year) for you and your friends.”