I have got the cutest, last minute gift idea for you! Kids young and old will love this under the tree or in their stockings! Since I supply the printable tags for free, this will be a really budget friendly and quick idea to put together. Especially if you pick up your supplies at the dollar store!
Having Christmas on a budget can be challenging, especially when it seems like you're surrounded by reminders of everything you're "supposed" to buy. It can be easy to start feeling like you're letting your family down if you can't afford to do it all.
But here's the thing: your family doesn't need an expensive Christmas to have a wonderful Christmas.
Some of the holiday memories that stick with us for years have very little to do with how much money was spent. They come from traditions, laughter, time together and those simple little moments that make Christmas feel special.
If you're planning Christmas on a budget this year, don't focus on everything you can't afford. Instead, look for ways to make the Christmas you can afford feel meaningful and fun.
Here are some ideas to help you make the most of Christmas without spending a fortune.
Focus on What Christmas Means to You
Before you start worrying about gifts, decorations, food and everything else on your Christmas to-do list, take a step back and think about what you actually want Christmas to feel like.
Maybe it's spending time together as a family. Maybe it's slowing down, enjoying traditions, eating good food or simply having a few days where everyone can relax.
You don't have to recreate someone else's Christmas.
Decide what matters most to your family and put your limited money toward those things. Everything else can be simplified, skipped or done for free. A smaller Christmas isn't a failed Christmas.
Make a List of Free Christmas Activities
You don't have to spend money every time you leave the house during December.
Look for free or low cost Christmas activities in your community. Libraries often have holiday story times, crafts and family activities. Schools and community groups may have concerts or performances that are free to attend.
Have a family baking afternoon using ingredients you already have
Free doesn't have to mean boring. In fact, some of these activities can become the traditions your kids remember most.
Use What You Already Have
One of my favourite strategies for Christmas on a budget is to stop assuming that everything needs to be new.
Before buying decorations, craft supplies or holiday entertainment, shop your own home.
You might already have:
Craft supplies
Christmas books
Board games
Baking ingredients
Leftover wrapping paper
Decorations that haven't been used in years
Candles or other items that can make your home feel festive
Supplies for a fun family activity
You don't need a completely new Christmas every year.
Pulling out the same decorations, books and games year after year can actually make Christmas feel more special because they become part of your family's traditions.
Make Your Own Christmas Decorations
You don't need to spend a lot of money decorating your home.
Paper snowflakes, popcorn garlands, paper chains and homemade ornaments can all make inexpensive Christmas decorations. If you have access to evergreen branches, you can also use them to add some natural greenery to your home.
Turn decorating into a family activity rather than something you have to buy.
Put on some Christmas music, make some hot chocolate and spend an afternoon creating decorations together.
The memories are worth far more than the decorations.
Don't Underestimate Homemade Gifts
If you need gifts but don't have much money to spend, think about what you can make, bake or give as an experience.
Depending on your skills and what you already have at home, you could make things like:
Cookies or other baked treats
Homemade hot chocolate mix
A simple photo gift
Handmade ornaments
A coupon book for things like a movie night or breakfast in bed
A handwritten recipe collection
A homemade craft
A "date night" or family activity that you plan yourself
You don't have to make everything yourself, either. Even choosing one or two homemade gifts can help stretch your Christmas budget.
Start a Few Simple Christmas Traditions
Traditions don't have to cost anything.
Maybe everyone watches the same Christmas movie on a certain night. Maybe you make pancakes for Christmas morning breakfast. Perhaps you read the same Christmas book every Christmas Eve or take an evening walk or drive to look at the lights.
You could even start a tradition of letting each family member choose one free activity to do together during December.
The important thing isn't how elaborate the tradition is. It's that you do it together and repeat it year after year.
Make the Most of a Small Number of Gifts
If you can't afford a lot of presents, don't feel like you need to fill the space under the tree.
For younger children especially, you can make the experience of opening gifts last longer by wrapping individual stocking stuffers separately.
You can also make opening gifts an event rather than a race. Take turns opening presents. Let everyone see what each person received. Put on music. Take pictures. Have a snack or hot chocolate afterward.
A few thoughtfully chosen gifts can still feel exciting.
And if your children are older, consider talking honestly about the budget and making Christmas about experiences, traditions and time together rather than a mountain of presents.
Simplify Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner is one area where you can save a surprising amount of money when you're having Christmas on a budget.
Choose a few foods your family genuinely enjoys and skip the pressure to make a huge meal just because it's Christmas. A simple meal eaten together can feel just as festive as an expensive one.
And don't forget leftovers! Plan meals around what you already have and look for ways to stretch your Christmas dinner into another meal or two.
Have a "Yes" to Free Fun Day
Here's a fun idea for families: have a day where the goal is to find as many fun things to do as possible without spending any money.
Make a list together. Maybe you'll:
Make breakfast together
Go for a winter walk
Look at Christmas lights
Come home and make hot chocolate
Have a family game tournament
Watch a Christmas movie
Make popcorn or another inexpensive snack
Read Christmas books before bed
You might be surprised at how quickly a completely free day can turn into one of your favourite Christmas memories.
Look for Ways to Give Without Spending Money
If you have limited money, you can still give to others.
Shovel a neighbour's walkway. Write someone a thoughtful note. Call a family member you haven't talked to in a while. Help someone with their Christmas baking. Donate items you no longer need if you are able.
Small acts of kindness can make a difference, and they don't have to cost anything.
It's also a great way to remind ourselves that Christmas isn't only about what we receive.
Give Yourself Permission to Say No
Saying no is an important part of having Christmas on a budget.
You don't have to say yes to every Christmas event, gift exchange, school fundraiser, holiday outing or expensive tradition. If something isn't in your budget, it's okay to say no.
You can suggest a free alternative. You can participate in a smaller way. Or you can simply skip it this year.
Protecting your family's finances is more important than keeping up appearances. Don't feel guilty because your Christmas doesn't look like someone else's! Social media can make it seem as though everyone else is having a picture perfect, perfectly decorated, incredibly expensive Christmas. Remember that you're seeing a tiny snapshot of someone else's life. Your family doesn't need Instagram worthy Christmas memories.
They need you.
Remember What Your Family Will Actually Remember
Years from now, your kids probably won't remember whether you bought the most expensive gifts, had the fanciest decorations or served a huge Christmas dinner.
They'll remember the things you did together.
The movie you watched every Christmas. The cookies you made. The Christmas lights you drove around to see. The silly traditions you repeated every year. The hot chocolate before bed. The games you played. The stories you told.
You don't need a big Christmas budget to create big Christmas memories. If you're celebrating Christmas on a budget this year, give yourself permission to simplify.
Spend less. Buy less. Do less.
And then use the time and money you do have to create a Christmas that feels good for your family.
Because a meaningful Christmas isn't measured by how much you spend. It's measured by how much you enjoy the people you're spending it with.
What are your favourite ways to have Christmas on a budget? Share your ideas that make Christmas special in the comments!
How fun is this gift idea? Create a Snow Day Survival Kit for the recipient to pull out on a cold winter’s day. Find the instructions and printables over at The DIY Mommy.
Bath bombs are easy to make and are always well received as gifts. They’re made of ingredients that will make your bath water fizz and smell delicious by releasing essential oils. These Christmas Tree bath bombs can be made in just a few minutes, even by beginners! They’re also the perfect size for putting into organza bags to give as gifts over the holidays.
Add in the coconut oil and then the water a little bit at a time and combine to mix using your hands. You want it slightly dense but not soaked through.
Add in several drops of green food coloring and use your hand to thoroughly mix.
Spoon the mixture into the Christmas Tree mold filling each cavity about halfway. Use your fingers to press down.
Spoon the remaining mixture evenly into the cavities and continue to press down.
Set the Christmas Tree bath bombs in a cool/dry spot for 24 hours to allow them to set.
*Makes 6 Christmas Tree Bath Bombs
To use them, just drop a bath bomb into your warm bath water. Watch as it fizzes and dissolves before your eyes while releasing the essential oil.
Happy two days before Christmas! You guys. I didn’t mean to disappear so early before Christmas, but we all came down with the flu and that put a stop to pretty much everything around here. 😛 I have officially baked one batch of cookies and my homemade marshmallows are halfway done. I am so not on top of things. Also, the dress my oldest wanted me to sew is soo close to being done and my youngest’s has now been passed off to my mom. I have lowered all expectations so it should be a Christmas after all.
Anyways, I’m popping in because our family wants to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! We hope you have a very blessed and happy one! We also want to thank you all for stopping in every day here at Simply Frugal, we truly appreciate each and every one of you!
I’ll be back late Sunday evening to post some Boxing Day deals in the upcoming epic Boxing Day post, but other than that, I’ll be enjoying some much needed family time until the New Year. (However, you may find a new post here and there that I have already scheduled. ;))
