Check out these 10 Christmas activities on a budget you and your loved ones will love that many typically forget about.
How to have Christmas on a budget. It’s on most people’s minds once December rolls around.
Everyone wants to have a memorable Christmas. It only comes once a year. But it isn’t always easy, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
There’s decorations to put up, food and drinks to prepare or order, family and friends to invite over and, who can forget, the gifts to give them all.
There’s so much to do that you can go way over budget if you aren’t careful.
Good thing it doesn’t have to turn out that way.
There are things you and your loved ones can do that don’t cost much but can teach you how to have a great Christmas on a budget.
Ready to learn how to celebrate Christmas on a budget? Here are 10 Christmas budget ideas you might have missed that can surely make you have a merry Christmas.
Pick Names Out of a Hat
Ever did Secret Santa at work, where you and your coworkers wrote your names on strips of paper that you dropped into a hat or some container and picked one from to give a gift to on Christmas? You can also do that at home with your family. Each of you will have to buy only one gift, drastically reducing how much you usually spend on presents each year.
Give Gifts as a Group
Next are your relatives. Secret Santa might not work with them as they might live far away or there might be a lot of them, so you need to get a bit creative. Why not give them gifts as a family instead of each of you giving them something individually? For example, if your mother-in-law likes wine, you can give her a nice vintage and tell her it came from all of you.
Give Your Time as Your Gift
Getting material things as gifts is nice, but they don’t always have to be the go-to when it comes to Christmas presents. If you really want to show your family and friends how much you truly love them, why not spend time with them as your gift?
We’re not just talking about hanging out. We’re talking something they’d really appreciate. If you’re married, you can give your wife or husband a sensual massage. If you got a younger sibling, you can take him or her ice skating or to the park to play some basketball. Make sure it’s something they like so they’ll always remember it.
Make Your Own Gifts
Who says gifts always have to be bought? Instead of gifting something from some faceless corporation, make your loved ones something on your own.
Say your family loves cooking together. You can buy some fabric and turn it into cute aprons. You can make the aprons Christmas-themed, getting all of you in the holiday spirit.
Wrap Your Gifts Using Recycled Materials
It’s not just the gifts themselves you can find ways to save on. You can also cut costs with the wrapping. But don’t just go with any old stuff you have lying around the house. It’s for Christmas, so you gotta make it special.
For ideas, visit your local thrift store. Look for magazines, comic books, sheet music or old maps. Any of these will make your gifts stand out without burning a hole in your pocket.
Have a Homemade Christmas
Have you seen one of those memes showing a house literally covered with Christmas decorations? It’s nice and all, but we can only imagine how much it must have cost, let alone the electricity bill to light them all up.
You don’t have to get in debt just to dress up your home all nice for Christmas. Instead of buying Christmas decorations, you can make them yourself. Not only won’t they cost as much, you and your family could make them, giving you more time to bond.
Do Something Fun as a Surprise for Your Loved Ones
Most people go out to celebrate Christmas. They eat at a nice restaurant, watch a movie, or go on a shopping spree. That’s fun and all, but the cost and having to make your way through crowds of people celebrating the holidays just like you will have you thinking twice if it’s really worth it.
Why not stay at home and do something special instead? You can pop some popcorn, buy the kids some candy and bust out the wall projector so you can have a family movie night. It’s cozy, fun and not something they’d expect—making your Christmas even more memorable.
Staycation
There are those who travel to celebrate Christmas if they have the time and budget. They fly to another country or go to another part of the US. You and your family don’t have to miss out on this, even if you stay home. You can have just as much fun except with a few creative flourishes.
It’s called a staycation. You can either stay in a nice but affordable hotel nearby or make your house extra nice. Either way, it almost feels like a change of scenery, making it seem like you really went on vacation.
Do Charity or Volunteer Work
Christmas is the season of giving. But not just for those close to you. You also need to spread goodwill to your fellow man. That includes the less fortunate.
To really do some good on Christmas, help out at your local soup kitchen or food bank. You’ll be doing something nice for others and making yourself feel good without spending a single dime.
Enjoy Free Events
Most communities celebrate Christmas together in order to grow tighter as a group. They hold all sorts of events, like block parties and concerts. Aside from being loads of fun, they’re usually free. Take your family to the one your neighbourhood will have to get in on the festivities without breaking the bank.
References
- “51 ways to budget for Christmas,” Focus on the Family Canada
- “29 WAYS TO ENJOY CHRISTMAS ON A TIGHT BUDGET” by Maureen Campaiola for A Mess Free Life