The J Edward Sellars team’s favourite Christmas films, songs, and traditions revealed…

It’s that time of year again! Although Christmas seems to sneak up on us every year, we’re delighted to be in the season of parties, great food, and time spent with loved ones.

To celebrate the festive season, we thought we’d give you a peek behind the curtain of the J Edward Sellars team at Christmastime. After all, we’ve got to know our clients very well over the years, so it only seems fair that we should share a little about ourselves every now and then, too!

So, grab a mince pie and discover what our team loves (and loathes) about the festive season, as well as our top tips for budgeting at Christmas.

Our #1 Christmas film is…

Home Alone!

After a spirited office debate, our team voted the Macaulay Culkin classic as the best Christmas movie of all time.

Explaining why he chose Home Alone, Harry said: “I have such fond memories of watching the film with my family and laughing our heads off at the final act.”

Of course, most of us agreed.

A close second was Die Hard, although we think Helen just likes debating whether it deserves to be classed as a Christmas movie!

Our #1 Christmas song is…

Last Christmas by Wham!

This question caused little debate in the office. It’s a classic and worthy of the top spot.

In the words of Catherine: “No need for the why, the song speaks for itself.”

You may have heard of the “Whamageddon” challenge – which sees people trying to make it as close to Christmas as possible without hearing the song. There’s no such challenge in the J Edward Sellars office – we practically have it on repeat at this stage.

Our favourite part of a Christmas dinner is…

Pigs in blankets!

Who doesn’t love this festive treat? Whether you enjoy the original or a meat-free alternative, pigs in blankets are a must for Christmas dinner.

That said, let’s spare a thought and a round of applause for those responsible for cooking Christmas dinner. It’s no mean feat, but sitting around the dinner table to enjoy a Christmas feast is the best part of the day for many of us.

In Helen’s words: “My favourite part of Christmas dinner is when it’s finally cooked – so I can sit down!”

Our most treasured Christmas traditions

We asked the team what Christmas tradition they always make sure is in budget.

While Mike and Helen say a turkey is their top priority, Tom was more focused on filling glasses with champagne (and who can blame him?).

Joe’s top tradition is going to the local pantomime with his daughters (oh no it isn’t…).

Our most meaningful gifts

Often, the best gifts aren’t the ones with the biggest price tags – they’re the ones with the most meaning and thought behind them.

The parents among us are particularly keen on sentimental gifts. Catherine’s favourite is a “Mummy” mug, which reminds her every morning what’s most important to her: her son… and coffee!

Gail loves the beautiful wine glasses she received from her daughter, while Helen’s favourite gift was a family portrait. For Mike, the best gift is watching his children have a great day.

Tom’s number one gift was both sentimental and pricey. He said: “When I was younger, I went skiing once and absolutely loved it but never had the chance to go again. A few years ago, my wife surprised me by booking a family trip to Austria. It was incredible and meant a lot to me.” 

Our least favourite gifts

This was an easy one for the team… socks.

Tom was particularly unhappy with Christmas socks. After all, they can only be worn one day a year and take up valuable sock drawer space.

But socks have nothing on the weighing scales Gail once received. As she said, “no explanation needed!”

Our best festive money-saving tips

Of course, as financial planners, we’re all over Christmas budgeting. So, we thought we’d share some of our top tips to avoid overspending.

• Catherine: “Plan and save early. Remind yourself that the meaning of Christmas is not the money spent, and starting the new year in debt is not a great idea.”
• Tom: “Start early and keep an eye out for Black Friday deals. You can even stock up on useful things for the year ahead. I say this every year, yet somehow still end up panic-buying at the last minute and missing all the deals… maybe next year!”
• Mike: “Have fun in the summer but then take it easy over autumn.”
• Joe: “Buy a tree with built-in lights.”
• Harry: “Save a little bit of money each month, so when Christmas comes around, it takes a bit of the pressure off.”
• Helen: “Don’t spend money you haven’t got!”
• Gail: “Children don’t remember the presents they receive, they remember the magical feeling of Christmas and the time spent with family and friends.”

From all of us here at J Edward Sellars, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a prosperous 2026!

Get in touch

If you’re looking for support in achieving your financial goals in 2026, get in touch with our friendly team. Email enquiries@jesellars.co.uk or call 01934 875 919 to find out more about how we can help you. 

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.