Treasurer Joe Hockey last week begged Australian consumers to "not let Santa down" in the lead-up to Christmas and to spend big to support the Australian economy. We may have just found the way to deliver, with Sydney retailers charging up to $716.84 for a gourmet Christmas lunch.
For an extended family or group of up to 24 people, the most expensive spread at home might look something like this: A table set with fine china and festive serviettes could be complete with a miniature in-house mistletoe tree, to add an extra romantic fragrance. A Christmas Mistletoe Fig Tree plant will set you back $50.54 from BulbsNBlooms online.
For most people, the focal point of Christmas lunch is the turkey. A "fresh and free-range" eight-kilogram turkey costs about $240 from Hannan's Quality Meats in North Bondi. You might want to stuff this one yourself.
But owner John Hannan said it's not about making money for the butchery, it's about providing "top-drawer" quality and "good service" to customers.
"It's a great time of year and our quality is very consistent," he said.
And it has been said that turkey is best served with cranberry sauce. If you're buying cranberries in bulk, head to The Berry Man in Manly Vale and you will find an 18-kilogram carton of "pure fruit", with no colourings, sweeteners or preservatives, for an eye-watering price of $118.30.
If you're feeding a family of sweet tooths, a Christmas pudding can be the highlight of the lunchtime feast. But think big, a three-kilogram traditional pudding from Itha's Puddings and Gourmet Foods costs up to $99 and if you consider dietary needs, a gluten-free option of the same size is $10 dollars more.
After lunch, it is time to enjoy a bit of festive fun with a Christmas cracker. The most impressive bon bons on the market are a packet of six Super Luxury Gold Christmas Crackers from the Essential Ingredient in Rozelle for $199. Surely there must be actual gold inside these crackers. Not quite, but they are stuffed with accessories including a bottle opener, nail file and heart necklace – all plated with "real silver".
Serving up a jewel-plated lunch might fulfil your dreams, but it could mean a hard-working start to the New Year!
