Christmas party & hosting cost calculator
Hosting is generous, but it's rarely free. Add it all up first, including the oven running all day, so you can decide what to ask guests to bring.
Energy assumes an electric oven or hob averaging about 2 kW while in use. The pre-filled rate is Ofgem's October–December 2026 Direct Debit average for electricity. Gas cooking costs less per hour.
Ways to host for less
- Bring-a-dish: ask each guest for one part of the meal, such as a starter, dessert, cheese or drinks.
- One showstopper, simple sides: spend on the main dish and keep the rest simple.
- Batch cook ahead and freeze. It also frees up the oven on the day.
- Borrow before you buy: extra chairs, a slow cooker, glasses.
Planning the food in detail? Use the food budget per head calculator, and put the total into the Christmas budget calculator.
Free printable: UK Christmas budget checklist 2026 (PDF, no email needed)
Know exactly what Christmas will cost, and what to save each week until 25 December.
A Google Sheets and Excel planner: gift list, food and drink, extras, a dashboard and a week-by-week saving plan to 25 December.
Get it for £5 →Plan 4 weeks of meals and keep the food shop on budget.
A 4-week meal plan, a shopping list totalled against your budget, a weekly spend dashboard and a 6-supermarket price check.
Get it for £4 →All 10 paid templates (worth £54) for £15: £1.50 each.
Every paid Tidy Life template in one download: budget, bills, debt, Self-Assessment, landlord & MTD, Christmas, January reset, Vinted, house move, meal plan and job hunt.
Get it for £15 →FAQs
How much does it cost to host Christmas dinner?
Add food and drink per guest, plus extras (crackers, decorations), the energy for a long cooking day, and any hire. For many hosts, bring-a-dish cuts the total by a third or more.
How much electricity does cooking Christmas dinner use?
An electric oven uses roughly 2 kWh an hour while heating. At 26.32p/kWh (the October–December 2026 cap average), 6 hours is about £3.16, less with gas or a slow cooker.
Kit list: Christmas gifts under £10: secret Santa and stocking fillers. (Our page. It includes Amazon affiliate links.)
Related calculators & guides
Christmas food per head · Gift budget per person · Christmas budget calculator · Weekly food budget guide · Free Christmas checklist (PDF)