For some families in Birmingham, England, the cost of Christmas presents is beyond reach, with 10% of families reporting that buying their children gifts would be unaffordable.
Here's what to know
DESIblitz reported on the striking results of the survey, which was commissioned by the Family Action charity. Money worries had led 19% of Birmingham parents to consider canceling their Christmas celebrations, the survey found.
Not being able to afford their children's preferred Christmas gifts amounted to having "failed" them, 7 in 10 parents said.
"Parents want so much to give their children joy, but many are being forced to make choices no family should have to make," Sir David Holmes, Family Action's chief executive, said, per DESIblitz.
More background
Christmas can "feel less magical" because of its financial burden, 59% of parents said. Among those under financial strain, 37% said they were worried about the holiday's cost.
For one parent supported by Family Action's Toy Appeal, losing a job meant putting necessities before presents. A donated book and teddy gave their child gifts the parent would not have been able to provide.
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"We sat there and read his book while he hugged his teddy from the Toy Appeal," the parent told the publication. "I was so grateful. I wouldn't have bought them as they weren't necessities."
These accounts fit into the affordability crisis that has been triggered by an array of factors. Contributing causes include conflicts in the Middle East and climate challenges that hike the prices of grocery essentials, among other things.
What's being done?
Public donations to Family Action's annual Toy Appeal paid for presents for hundreds of Birmingham families in 2025. The charity is asking people to support the appeal to provide gifts for children whose families face financial hardship, according to DESIblitz.
The charity looks to reach more households facing hardship, helping parents give their children presents while leaving limited household funds available for other needs.
"It really helps us out as things are very, very tight," one parent told the outlet. "We can wrap the gift for him and say it's from us."
Holmes noted that each item symbolizes something far more than its basic material form for both parents and children.
"A donated gift can mean far more than a toy — it can mean relief, dignity, and a moment of Christmas magic," he told DESIblitz.
Where can I learn more?
Families trying to afford Christmas presents also have household bills and other seasonal expenses to cover.
• A frugal creator warns shoppers against $1,000 Christmas trees at Hobby Lobby as holiday costs mount.
• In the U.K., five years of inflation left the average household £2,900 worse off.
• In the U.S., rising grocery prices strain holiday hosts, but many won't cut back.
• A U.K. mom found secondhand Halloween costumes for a quarter of their original prices.
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