Natalie Wiseman – who listens to Christmas music year-round, too – says a few tweaks massively reduce the burden on her December pay packet
A London mother who keeps her Christmas decorations up all year round because it makes her feel “happy” and “cosy” has said she saves hundreds of pounds by starting to prepare for Christmas from the January sales.
Natalie Wiseman, 47, has had a Christmas tree up year-round for “so long” that she can’t even remember when the habit started, but said that she goes even further for the big day in December with decorations in “every single room” and a 10-feet main tree.
However, she says that the top perk of being as Christmas-obsessed as she is is that she saves hundreds of pounds each year – and reduces the burden on her December pay packet – by buying gifts, stocking fillers, food and drinks from as soon as the January sales hit.
“It makes me feel happy, it makes me feel cosy vibes, I just enjoy it,” Natalie, who works as a regional operations manager for gyms and posts to her 43,000 TikTok followers as Xmas Nat, told PA Real Life of her Christmas-themed home.
“(My kids) are so used to it now, they honestly don’t even bat an eyelid. It makes no difference to them any more. They know what I’m like.
“They know that I listen to Christmas music (all year). They know that I enjoy it. They know it makes me happy. So I think they just feel like it’s normal now.”
Natalie, who is a mum to four, aged 30, 29, 26 and 21, and grandmother of one, aged one-and-a-half, said she has saved as much as £800 on Christmas by always having it on her mind.
Despite the fact that she decks the halls – and the ceilings, the windows, and every room in her home – with masses of decorations as soon as November 1 arrives, and maintains a festive vibe year-round in her living room, Natalie said she is a fairly frugal Christmas shopper as “if there’s things on sale, I always get them”.
“As soon as the January sales go on, if I see anything that I think is a good price, maybe some little stocking fillers, anything like that, I always pick them up straight away and start putting them away,” Natalie explained.
“And anything throughout the year – if there’s things on sale, maybe a big shop has a big sale and they have some bits that are cheaper, I always get them.
“As soon as it gets to June or July, I start buying non-perishable food items like tins, sauces. It just saves money throughout the year.”
While many people wait until big autumn sale days such as Black Friday to snap up some early Christmas presents, Natalie maintains that can be a big mistake, as often the same items can be cheaper at different times of the year.
Plus, certain items, such as Christmas pyjamas, can sell out long before the festive season, with data from high street shop Peacocks showing that in 2025, sales of Christmas pyjamas were higher in its stores and online in the last week of August than they were in Christmas week.
“Get it then and there, and you don’t have to worry about that on the run up, especially if you want a big family lot, because it’s very hard once they sell out,” Natalie said, adding that she personally wears her Christmas PJs all year round.
On top of Natalie saving hundreds on presents and festive clothing for her family by keeping an eye out for good deals year-round, she also starts her Christmas food shop by browsing the reduced section from New Year’s Day.
“Everything goes around half price in January, and as long as it’s got a long enough date on it, into the next year, I don’t really see the problem with it,” she said.
“I bought chocolates in March, Quality Street, that were on offer, and I’ve put them away – and they’re good until 2027.
“If you save three pounds here and there, that’s a lot of money at the end of the year.”
When it comes to the festive season – which, for Natalie, begins properly on November 1 – she doesn’t let her year-round Christmas spirit get in the way of going even bigger.
Come November 1, Natalie said she puts up Christmas decorations in “every single room of my house”.
“There’s not a room that doesn’t have decorations,” she said.
“I have ceiling decorations – like the ’80s, ’90s style. I’ve got a 10-foot tree and it’s all multicoloured lights.
“It’s a whole completely different feel … Everyone else has got their decorations up. Everyone is excited. My decorations will change completely. I have a much bigger tree, much more decorations, and people outside are saying ‘Merry Christmas’.
“But obviously, here, it’s not just one day for me. I like the kindness, the excitement, the nostalgic feeling of it all.”
For those who don’t want to fill their cupboards with mince pies and stocking fillers throughout the year, Natalie adds that even tucking away some extra cash in a Christmas savings pot can make the world of difference to taking the stress out of December.
“If I’ve got a little extra £20 at the end of the month, I will put that in my Christmas savings jar, so that I’ve got a bulk amount at the end of the year.
“I think if you do it that way, it’s not such a big spend in December, and it’s not so much pressure on yourself.”
“Plus, it takes the stress away from December, so you can enjoy that time with your friends, your family,” she added.
“Christmas is not just one day; it’s throughout that month you can spend time with your family, go and sightsee around the city, see the lights, meet up with friends, have a Friendsmas.
“There’s a lot of things to be going on in December, so I think it’s just a great way to save all that stress of that month.”
Peacocks Christmas Pyjamas are on sale now here: peacocks.co.uk/christmas/christmas-nightwear/family-matching-pyjamas
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
