As Christmas 2025 approaches, families across the UK and the United States are feeling the pinch at the supermarket checkout, with the cost of a traditional festive dinner rising faster than general inflation and reshaping how people celebrate. From Yorkshire to Georgia, the humble turkey and all its trimmings are not just a symbol of togetherness, but also of the financial pressures squeezing household budgets this holiday season.
In West Leeds, community reporter Keef Williamson set out to update the prices for a budget Christmas dinner, mostly shopping at Lidl on Stanningley Road, with a few items from Aldi and Tesco in Bramley. According to his findings, the 11 festive items in his basket cost a striking 12.5% more than last year—far outpacing the UK’s official inflation rate of 3.6% for the twelve months up to October 2025, as reported by the Office for National Statistics. Three items on his list had increased in price, three had dropped, and the rest stayed the same, but the biggest shock was a £1.50 jump for the turkey roll, now a generous 800 grams, enough to serve four.
This local snapshot reflects a wider trend. BBC News reports that a typical Christmas dinner with all the trimmings now costs about £32.45 in the UK, a £1.24 or nearly 4% rise compared to last year. The centerpiece—a standard 10lb (4.55kg) frozen turkey—now costs £20, up 7.37% from £18.62 in 2024, according to data from retail tracking platform Assosia. Brussels sprouts have jumped by more than 9% to 94p a bag, while pigs in blankets have climbed 5.3% to £2.59. Meanwhile, potatoes and parsnips have actually dropped slightly in price, along with Christmas pudding and mince pies, thanks to a global sugar surplus and falling flour prices.
Farmers and butchers are feeling the strain of these increases. Bird flu outbreaks led to the early culling of turkeys and forced poultry indoors, driving up feed costs. Susan Gorst, a turkey farmer in Potterspury, told BBC News, "I think people are now generally expecting an increase on most things year on year." John Muff, co-owner of Muff’s Butchers in Wirral, said, "All year round we've seen price increases, almost on a weekly basis, 5p here, 10p there." He noted that the rising cost of animal feed, energy, transport, and wages all contribute, adding, "Every aspect is going up."
Weather, too, has played its part. A drier spring and summer hurt sprout harvests, and the hottest summer on record in the UK forced some farmers to irrigate their fields for the first time in a decade. As Alan Steven, a sprout farmer in Fife, explained, the dry ground and prolonged hot weather made growing conditions tough and expensive. Potato farmer Lucy Munns in Cambridgeshire shared that while a good price for her potatoes would be £200 a tonne, she anticipated prices as low as £80 in December, with oddly shaped spuds sometimes rejected by supermarkets.
Across the Atlantic, the story is much the same. The Augusta Chronicle reported that, in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates food prices have increased by nearly 3% in 2025, outpacing overall inflation. The biggest jumps have been in coffee, beef, and eggs, driven by higher labor costs, supply chain disruptions, weather, and tariffs. The Chronicle checked prices for a classic Christmas dinner at Kroger, Publix, and Walmart, finding a 12-pound Butterball turkey ranged from $17.64 to $19.08, with other essentials like egg nog, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and pecan pie all seeing modest increases. The total cost for a Christmas dinner came out to $38.70 at Walmart, $43.35 at Kroger, and $49.52 at Publix.
These rising costs are not just changing what ends up on the table, but also how people approach the holidays. According to Credit Connect, the average festive food shop in the UK now costs £254, with the total festive bill—including gifts and decorations—climbing to £787, up £87 from last year. The result? A quarter of people now believe it’s acceptable to charge guests for Christmas dinner, a trend dubbed the "Pay Per Plate Christmas." Support for this idea is especially high among younger people, with 42% of 18 to 24-year-olds in favor, compared to just 3% of those 65 and over. Regionally, Londoners are most likely to back the idea, with 36% in support, while only 6% in the South West agree.
While only a minority support formal charging, more than half of Brits—54%—say they would be happy to contribute voluntarily to the host’s costs. This willingness to share the financial burden is echoed in cities like Edinburgh (64% happy to chip in), London (62%), and Leeds (59%). Consumer expert Vix Leyton told Credit Connect, "Christmas dinner has become one of the most expensive meals of the year and the cost of living has exploded faster than anyone’s budget. A home-cooked Christmas now costs the average household £254, but eating out can easily reach £60 or £90 a head and in some cities well over £150 so it’s no wonder people are cracking under the pressure." She adds, "Families buy ‘just in case’ items because they feel under pressure to deliver an Insta-perfect festive experience, but it all adds up very quickly."
Shopping habits are changing, too. Some 57% of people now begin stocking their Christmas food cupboard early, with 24% starting in November and 13% in October. However, this can lead to waste: 11% of households throw away uneaten chocolates or cheese crackers, 10% discard Christmas pudding, and 9% toss out leftover turkey. Leyton suggests that a quick group chat to coordinate dishes can prevent over-shopping and reduce pressure on hosts.
Yet, despite these challenges, there are ways to keep costs down. BBC News recommends planning ahead, making a food list, hunting for bargains, and sharing both the cost and the workload with guests. Buying in bulk with friends or family, freezing what you can, and planning for leftovers can also help stretch the festive budget a little further.
Ultimately, the rising price of Christmas dinner in 2025 is more than just a matter of pounds and pence or dollars and cents—it’s a reflection of how economic pressures, changing social norms, and even the weather are reshaping cherished traditions. Whether by splitting costs, streamlining menus, or simply embracing a little less perfection, families are finding new ways to keep the festive spirit alive around the table.
