THE cost of feeding Santta on Christmas Eve has risen by almost 40% over the last ten years.
Experts at Ailsa analysed how much it costs to leave a pint of milk, a mince pie, and a carrot out for Santa and Rudolph on Christmas Eve.
Using supermarket data, they calculated the average cost of each item: a pint of milk is 85p, a pack of mince pies is £1.25, and a 500g bag of carrots is 49p.
They then ran the figures through the Bank of England’s inflation calculator to see how the price has changed over time.
This Christmas Eve, families are expected to spend around £2.59 on the tradition.
But in 2015, it would have cost just £1.86 – that’s a 39% rise over the past decade.
In fact, the biggest monetary jump was between 2015 and 2025, rising by £0.73, while the biggest percentage rise came between 1975 and 1985, when prices jumped by 151.5%.
The tradition of leaving treats out for Santa became popular in the 1930s. Back in 1935, families would only be spending 0.05p.
Overall, the cost of keeping Santa fuelled on Christmas Eve has increased by just over 5,000% over the past 9 decades.
Year
Amount (£)
1935
0.05
1945
0.07
1955
0.11
1965
0.15
1975
0.33
1985
0.83
1995
1.25
2005
1.45
2015
1.86
2025
2.59
“Yes, the cost of keeping Santa fed has shot up but that just proves how determined we are to keep the Christmas dream alive,” said Kane Taylor from Ailsa, who conducted the research.
“Even when the world feels a bit heavy, we still leave out the milk, mince pie and carrot with a smile, because the magic matters.
“For kids, it’s a moment of pure wonder. For the rest of us, it’s a chance to reconnect with the part of ourselves that still believes in something sparkly. If paying a few extra pennies means keeping that glow going, then we’ll happily keep topping up Santa’s snack station.
“In the end, Christmas isn’t about the cost, it’s about the cheer. So, if the price of mince pies keeps rising, we’ll just keep rising to the occasion.
“After all, nothing keeps our spirits higher than keeping the magic alive.”
The team from Amazon in Dunfermline has been preparing for the Christmas shopping season with a calendar full of festive celebrations.
A visit from Santa and his reindeer, hot chocolate giveaways and crafts with Mrs Claus are just some of the activities taking place at the Dunfermline fulfilment centre to support the work the Amazon team is doing to deliver for customers across the UK this Christmas.
Speaking on the festivities, Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “Throughout December, our team picks, packs and ships parcels for customers nationwide.
“It’s an exciting time on site as we work together to ensure everything runs smoothly, safely and efficiently to deliver gifts and essentials during the festive period.
Christina Watson took part in the celebrations on site. She added: “The end of the year is always an exciting time at Amazon in Dunfermline.
“When we kickstart party season, you never know what festive surprises await – competitions, games, activities and more!”
We are part of a community organisation, and we are deeply concerned by the recent revelations involving former council leader Cammy Day. An apology is not sufficient given the seriousness of these matters.
From our experience working within communities, we understand how powerful individuals in public office can be, and how frightening it is when that power is misused. The admission that a false name was used to make a complaint raises serious ethical and safeguarding concerns.
Cammy Day should be asked directly how many people he has damaged by using fake names or false identities, and what safeguards are now in place to ensure that no one else is targeted next. These are questions of public interest, accountability, and community safety.
We believe his position is no longer tenable and are therefore calling on Cammy Day to resign from immediate effect. Apologies alone do not restore public trust.
We also call for a full and independent inquiry to establish whether this behaviour was an isolated incident or part of a wider pattern.
We believe that individuals who engage in this kind of behaviour cannot be trusted and should not hold positions of public office. The public deserves transparency, accountability, and safeguarding from those who hold or seek power.
This is a matter of public interest and must be treated with the seriousness it demands.
Christmas came early for a young boy with a complex heart condition when Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and Loganair joined forces to make his dream of flying a reality.
As well as a severe cyanotic heart defect, Josh Narrie from East Lothian suffers from DiGeorge Syndrome and chronic lung disease and is awaiting further cardiac interventions.
The brave youngster, who loves aeroplanes and all things to do with aviation and transport, has never been able to fly due to his poor health so CHAS and Loganair arranged for him to have a magical experience visiting the airline’s hangar at Glasgow Airport as an early Christmas present.
As well as being made an honorary pilot for the day, Josh got to meet Loganair Glasgow Hangar staff and mechanics who gave him his own private tour of the hangar. He was then invited on board an ATR-72 aircraft for the very first time and got to sit inside the flight deck and see all the controls up close.
The excited youngster was then presented with a special goodie bag full of Christmas presents.
Eight-year-old Josh, who is on 24-hour oxygen and bipap overnight and during periods throughout the day, has spent much of his life in and out of hospital, including periods in intensive care.
This special visit was extra special therefore as it provided a chance for Josh and his mum and dad Claire and John to make precious memories together.
Speaking afterwards, Claire said: “We can’t thank CHAS and Loganair enough for this amazing early Christmas present which meant so much to Josh and to us as his parents.
“He is our cheeky, happy chap who loves to be naughty and enjoys pretty much anything that moves especially aeroplanes. Sadly he has never been able to fly due to his low oxygen saturation levels and perhaps will never be deemed fit to fly which is why this experience was extra special.
“Josh spends so much time in hospital and the days can be very long and isolating so days out together are very special, especially ones like this. CHAS always goes above and beyond for us and we think of them as family. We would honestly be completely lost without their support.
“We are so grateful to both CHAS and to Loganair for making Josh’s dream of finally boarding a plane come true. Seeing his wee face light up meant the absolute world ”
CHAS Senior Partnership Executive Linsey Cairns said: “For many families supported by CHAS, it is often difficult to fly or use other forms of transport because of their child’s complex needs.
“Our important partnership with Loganair means we can bring smiles, comfort, and precious memories to children and we are so grateful to them for facilitating this special visit for Josh and his mum. These are the moments that matter – moments where families can simply enjoy being together and create happy memories that they’ll treasure forever.”
Alex Bridgewater, Communications Manager at Loganair, said: “As part of our continued support for CHAS, Josh’s visit to the Glasgow hangar was a special opportunity for our team to create a memorable experience ahead of Christmas.
“After he was unable to take part in our annual CHAS flight, the team worked hard to create an alternative event that allowed Josh and his family to enjoy something unique, at his own pace.
“The Loganair Glasgow Hangar team, led by aircraft mechanic Jack Wright, welcomed Josh to the hangar with a personal tour and the opportunity to see the aircraft up close. Supporting initiatives like this is an important part of our commitment to the communities we serve, and partnering with CHAS allows us to make these remarkable experiences possible.”
CHAS’s partnership with Loganair is now in its fourth year. In 2024, the airline introduced a voluntary £2 donation option to online bookings to raise additional funds for the charity.
Loganair also supports the charity’s outreach service CHAS at Home, which has made 1,951 visits in the past year, by providing vital flights for CHAS at Home nurses supporting families in remote and island communities.
For over 30 years CHAS has been caring for vulnerable children like Josh nationwide through a wide range of dedicated services including respite and palliative care at Rachel House and at Robin House in Balloch. The charity also offers a CHAS at Home service that brings specialist nursing care into the homes of children and has doctors and nurses based in hospitals across the country.
The charity recently launched The Christmas That Couldn’t Wait Appeal to bring moments of joy and comfort to children with life-shortening conditions and their families, at a time when they need it most.
This Christmas, look out for the symptoms of dementia, such as irritability, forgetfulness, struggling to follow a conversation, or being confused about time and place.
If you spot any of these symptoms in a loved one, encourage them to visit their GP for an assessment. http://nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/
A highly anticipated new Tesco Express store opened its doors last week in East Craigs.
Located at 1 Bughtlin Market, the new Tesco Express Bughtlin Market will provide residents and visitors with a convenient, modern place to shop, supporting the continued growth of the surrounding area.
The store will be open seven days a week from 6am until 11pm, creating three new jobs for the local area while also retaining the existing team from the previous business that operated on the site.
Tesco Express Bughtlin Market will offer a wide range of products for everyday needs, whether customers are picking up breakfast on the go, buying lunch or collecting ingredients for dinner.
Store features include a Costa Coffee machine, National Lottery terminal, Payzone service, external InPost lockers and a 24-hour ATM.
Charlene Watson, Store Manager at Tesco Express Bughtlin Market, said: “We are pleased to open the doors to our new store and to join the East Craigs community.
“Our aim is to serve this large and diverse community with a friendly and dependable local store that people can rely on and we look forward to welcoming customers in the days and weeks ahead.”
Tesco Express Bughtlin Market is located at 1 Bughtlin Market, Edinburgh EH12 8XP.
Military families across the UK will celebrate Christmas in homes fit for heroes as improvements to fix 1,000 of the worst forces houses have completed ahead of schedule
Completion of Consumer Charter pledge to transform 1,000 worst homes ahead of schedule
Hundreds more military properties to be upgraded by the spring.
The major upgrades show early delivery of the Defence Housing Strategy – a generational renewal of military homes.
Military families across the UK will celebrate Christmas in homes fit for heroes as improvements to fix 1,000 of the worst forces houses have completed ahead of schedule.
The ambitious programme of works to urgently fix 1,000 military homes has also now been extended, with a further 250 military properties to receive priority upgrades over the coming months – a 25% increase on the target set out by Defence Secretary John Healey when launching the Consumer Charter only eight months ago.
The programme of housing improvements, known as Raising the Minimum Standards, has seen significant works take place at service family homes across the UK, with upgrades made to almost 700 properties in England, over 150 properties in Northern Ireland, over 100 in Wales and over 50 in Scotland.
Homes across the country have received a complete makeover including new flooring and other improvements such as replacing unreliable boilers and heating systems, repairing hundreds of leaky roofs and installing new bathrooms, kitchens, windows and doors.
These are the first steps of delivery under the MOD’s mission to transform military family housing, with £9 billion of investment allocated for a generational renewal of defence housing over the next ten years.
The Defence Housing Strategy will see the modernisation, refurbishing or rebuilding of more than 40,000 service family homes and has been enabled by the landmark deal made just 12 months ago to bring 36,000 military homes back into public ownership.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: “Our Armed Forces and their families sacrifice so much for our country, the least they deserve are safe and decent homes. The work we’ve done to upgrade the 1,000 worst homes means that more families can now enjoy Christmas together in homes that are fit for heroes.
“This is just the start of our ambitious work to upgrade tens of thousands of homes across the country, made possible by our landmark deal to bring 36,000 homes back into public ownership and backed by £9 billion investment.
“We are ending the decades of neglect and giving our dedicated Armed Forces families the homes they deserve.”
Cpl Jack Crean, his partner Nina and their one-year-old son Charlie have just moved into one of the newly refurbished homes at Bassingbourn Barracks in Cambridgeshire.
Cpl Crean said: We are really pleased to be in our new home for Christmas. Everyone is a lot happier here, especially Charlie.
“It’s nice to live in an up-to-date house, it works so much better for the whole family and if I was to go away, I know that my family is in a clean, modern house.”
David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation said: “I am very proud of the improvements our teams have made to a 1,000 of our worst homes.
“This is just the start of a generational renewal which will see 9 out of 10 homes improved. We are already seeing the results of the changes we are making through our charter commitments and are determined to do even more to improve the homes and deliver the experience our armed forces deserve.”
The refurbishment of the 1,000 worst homes was just one the Consumer Charter commitments made by the Secretary of State to improve the experience of service families.
All the Charter Commitments made in April 2025 are on course to be achieved by the end of this year, including the implementation of robust standards, ensuring service families can be confident they are moving into clean and functional homes, modernised policies making it easier to personalise homes, and the introduction of a named Housing Officer for every family to provide greater support.
These improvements are already being reflected in the results of monthly surveys of Service personnel, which show a clear upward trajectory in overall levels of satisfaction.
SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE: SCOTMID PARTNERS WITH PENNIES FOR DEMENTIA SUPPORT
Scotmid has introduced a quick and easy way for customers to support people living with dementia, through a new partnership with the charity Pennies, trusted leader in micro-donations. The digital micro-donation option is now available in all Scotmid and Semichem stores across Edinburgh.
Customers paying by card, contactless or digital wallet can now choose to add a 10p donation to their purchase, with donations supporting Scotmid’s annual charity partner, Alzheimer Scotland. These small contributions will help fund vital services for people and families affected by dementia, supporting care, advice and community initiatives across Scotland.
The initiative builds on Scotmid’s long-standing commitment to supporting local causes and offers a simple, sustainable way for shoppers to give back in a cashless world.
This year’s partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, announced in October, will be the first to benefit. The charity also aims to reach younger audiences with information on brain health through school and community engagement.
Karen Scott, Scotmid Chief Executive, said: “We know how much our members, colleagues and customers care about supporting local people.
“This partnership with Pennies gives everyone the chance to help in a way that feels easy and affordable. It’s community compassion in action, 10p at a time.”
Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO of Penniessaid: “We’re thrilled to welcome Scotmid to the Pennies family.
“As Scotland’s largest independent co-operative, Scotmid has deep roots in its communities – and this partnership will enable thousands of people to make a meaningful contribution every day.
“Together, we’re harnessing the power of digital giving to reach more people, in more places, for more causes. Just £10 in micro-donations could provide a whole class of 25 children with a brain-health handbook on how to look after their amazing brains. Thank you!”
Scotmid’s collaboration with Pennies reflects its ongoing commitment to finding innovative ways for customers and members to support the communities they live in. Pennies’ micro-donation solution will continue to be used across future charity partnerships, helping causes benefit from collective generosity.
David Watkins (76), a retired college lecturer from Edinburgh, is looking forward to celebrating Christmas with his family after being given the gift of sight after decades of vision loss and having to stay in the dark.
Following the ‘miraculous difference’ made by a corneal transplant at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, David is set to enjoy being able to see his Christmas celebrations properly for the first time in years.
David suffers from a degenerative condition called Fuchs Dystrophy. He said “I visited the optician around 20 years ago and they saw what looked like birthmarks all over my eyes. I was sent to a specialist and diagnosed with Fuchs Dystrophy.
“It was slow progressing but three or four years later, I got to the stage where I had to sit in the dark and wear sunglasses all the time because my eyes were so sensitive to light. When I got up in the morning, it looked like I was looking through a steamed-up bathroom window. I found lights blinding and felt like I spent half my life in the dark.”
In August this year, David underwent a corneal transplant under local anaesthetic and, several weeks later, his eyesight is so vastly improved he no longer needs to wear dark glasses constantly.
He said: “It took six or eight weeks but one day I woke up and could see again – the difference was miraculous. I can now appreciate being able to see colours again and even dust floating in the air.
“My wife loves Red Kites and I couldn’t see them with her but now I get out walking every day and can enjoy seeing the birds.
“The impact on my life is incalculable, made possible by the generosity of an organ donor and I am and will remain eternally grateful.”
David is now on the list for a second corneal transplant for his other eye.
Dr Naing Latt Tint, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at NHS Lothian said: “It’s fantastic to see how the corneal transplant has dramatically improved David’s quality of life. His journey is testament to the transformative impact that organ and tissue donation can have.
“It takes a dedicated team working together to make each transplant operation happen but, above all, it’s the selflessness of donors and their families that makes it all possible. Donating a cornea is a truly life-changing gift and can help those affected by failing eyesight continue to live independent and fulfilling lives.”
Earlier in December, the Scottish Government announced annual funding for extra specialist staff to support eyesight-saving cornea transplants and help to increase donation rates.
The cornea, the clear outer layer at the front of the eye, can be retrieved within 24 hours of death in hospital or hospice and preserved ahead of transplant but, unlike other tissue transplants, does not need to be a ‘match’ and can come from a donor of any age.
