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.
“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.”
