'I fill the kitchen sink up to wash myself so my kids have presents on Christmas day'

Nearly half (45%) of parents in the UK have skipped meals or reduced how much they eat to afford Christmas for their children, grim polling shows. Around four in 10 (43%) expect to go into debt to afford Christmas for their children, while half (52%) of parents are worried that a magical Christmas will be harder to afford this year compared to last year, Barnardo's research showed. Struggling parents told the charity they were choosing between heating or eating this Christmas to ensure their children enjoy the magic of the festive season.

One dad said he sits with the lights off, or washes over the kitchen sink instead of having baths or showers, to save money for Christmas. Asked what financial sacrifices they make, more than a quarter (27%) of parents said saving for emergencies, one in six (16%) said heating their home and a similar proportion (17%) said paying household bills on time. In a powerful stunt, Barnardo's earlier this week set up a pop-up shop disguised as a gift shop in central London to lay bare the tragic struggles of parents this festive season.

The charity replaced the price tags on children's gifts and clothing with labels telling heartbreaking stories of what struggling parents have sacrificed to afford Christmas for their child. To find out more about Barnardo’s and how you could help support children, young people and families, visit barnardos.org.uk . One dad-of-two, aged 58, from Edinburgh, who was featured in the collection, said: “I’ve saved enough money to get the kids some dinner and gone without myself.

I’d eat whatever they didn’t eat off their plates. I’ve tried cutting back on things, like keeping the electric off when the kids aren’t there. "I’ve sat without the lights on before to save on electric, with just the TV on so the glow from the TV lights up the room. I’ve also gone without heating when the kids aren’t there and sat in the cold with a blanket over me so I had enough on the meters to warm the house up for when they were coming.

"There have been times when I’ve filled up the sink and had a wash down rather than having a bath or shower to save on the electric and hot water. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things so your kids can eat, and be warm, and have presents to open on Christmas morning.” One mum-of-two, 38, from Edinburgh, also told the charity: "I slept on the couch because there wasn’t enough space in my two-bedroom house with three kids. Everything was spent on the kids, and I wasn’t taking care of myself.

I don’t tell my kids when I’m struggling and I didn’t let them know I couldn’t afford things at Christmas.” And a 19-year-old said his mum has “been in tears the past few Christmases because of the stress of getting everything sorted”. The teenager, from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, said: “I don’t like Christmas. I’ve struggled a lot with it in the past. It affects my mum quite a bit. She’s been in tears the past few Christmases because of the stress of getting everything sorted.

"I try to get any part-time work I can find around Christmas time. It’s very stressful, and to be honest, it can feel quite depressing. My mum still works her magic and is able to get things for us. She hides how much she struggles from my siblings." Dame Helen Mirren, actress and Barnardo’s ambassador, said: “I grew up in post-war Britain when money was very tight. My dad worked extremely hard to support the family, to make sure we had everything we needed.

Parents always want the best for their children – but for some families living in poverty that just isn’t possible. "Some struggling parents are making significant sacrifices to be able to afford a magical Christmas for their children. That’s why Barnardo’s is helping families in poverty and together we can make sure more children enjoy the warmth, joy and wonder that Christmas should bring.” Eastenders star Michelle Collins said: “Supporting Barnardo’s child poverty campaign is something very close to my heart.

I was brought up by a single mum who worked incredibly hard, juggling jobs and doing everything she could to make sure my sister and I never felt we were missing out. But I know it wasn’t easy. Far from it. The sacrifices she made, the pressure she was under, and the constant struggle to make ends meet are things I appreciate even more now. " Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry, whose charity is urging the public to donate, said: "These findings paint a deeply worrying picture of the pressure many families are facing as Christmas approaches.

Behind every statistic is a parent doing everything they can to protect their children from hardship, often by going without themselves. "For many of us, Christmas is a time of excitement, joy and family traditions. But for far too many children growing up in poverty, it can also be a time of anxiety and uncertainty. ::: Censuswide surveyed 2,763 UK parents of children aged under 18 between October 6 and 16.