I jokingly tell everyone that we "practice humble Christmases and birthdays" around our house. This, of course, is code for "cheap"...or inexpensive, as my mother would say that words like "cheap" sound bad. The truth is, most years we have very little "extra" to celebrate with- and four of the five of us have November/December birthdays, so the end of the year is swamped!
Because we have taught our boys (and ourselves) to be grateful for everything -no matter the size, cost, or how much you actually like it- we think we have stressed the more important of the attributes surrounding this time, gratefulness over greed.
Additionally, I dare say, even if we had an overabundance with which to celebrate, I don't think we would! There is something beautiful and humble (in the greatest sense of the word) about finding joy in the small things. The few gifts which were chosen with great love. The little traditions which cost nothing but mean everything. And the birth of a child -in a stable- Whom we celebrate excitedly as this day -and truly this entire season- is all about Him regardless.
So I thought of some ideas to make staying in budget at Christmas time more likely without taking away all the fun! (This works with birthdays as well!)
*Wrap EVERYTHING!! (Even batteries.) Pajamas? Wrap the top and bottom separately! The more items are wrapped= the more items to unwrap! One pair of pajamas now becomes TWO gifts!
*Gift things you would buy anyway...toothbrushes, bubble bath, fun soap, sheets, etc. Because the kiddos will need chap-stick and floss anyway, get them now and increase the Christmas morning gifts. (And wrap them up!)
*Host an ole'fashion toy/clothing swap with friends and bring in the new while taking out the old FOR FREE!
*Shop second-hand.
*Build off of large items you already have! Buy accessories, not large items every year (Bought Jake's Neverland hideout and ship, Bucky, shelling out $40 on each? Yeah, us too. If your kiddos still play with Jake this year (bless them), skip the large items and just do accessories. (Figurines.)
*Homemade craft ideas on the cheap and easy, here.
crafted stockings with cotton ball "fluff"
picture snowmen with children's names;
one letter on each snow ball, outlined in glitter
d.i.y. Elf on the Shelf
(tutorial, here)
*Homemade gift ideas on the cheap,(coming soon).
*Re-gifting (and thoughts about re-gifting, coming soon).
*Utilize the grandparents for larger items. Year-long pass to the Children's museum, the Zoo, or their favorite amusement park. When Grandma-ma asks what she can do for the kiddos this year, by-pass the typical well Smitty loves Paw Patrol and Bubble Gum (fads and junk) and go for the big-time. Maybe Grandma-ma cannot purchase the pass outright, but she may be able to throw something into the pot to help take the hit solely off your wallet. These gifts are INVALUABLE! (And they last longer than the toy which was broken underfoot or thrown into the toilet, and, thus, tossed in the trash.)
*Practice simplicity. We never go "all-out". Not with birthdays, not with holidays. Our motto is: we will be thankful for everything we ever receive. Big or small. Our boys do not have an extravagant Christmas to compare every Christmas after to. We keep it a little humble. (Although, admittedly, this year was the biggest yet....you can read why, here.)
*Keep your eyes on the TRUE MEANING of everything. Birthday's are fun because they ARE ALL ABOUT THE KIDDO, AND THE KIDDO'S SPECIAL DAY. Well friends, Christmas is Jesus' birthday! If we keep our focus on Him, then everything else (every gift, no matter the size and cost) becomes exciting!
*Wrap Christmas books (Even ones you already own/borrow from the library). (Inspiration from: ellekeepsmoving.com)
*Make everything magical! Christmas pancakes are more special when they look like Santa or have Christmas-colored sprinkles on top! Christmas songs sung by children (off-key and in matching pajamas) in front of the Christmas tree are lasting memories! (Don't forget to record!)
*If it snows- GO OUTSIDE!!!!! (need snow-inspiration? Check out these fun ideas!:)
- paint in the snow (Really Quite Lucky blog)
- make snow ice cream!
- build a snow family
- make snow angels
- sleigh ride
*Play Secret-Santa. There is no need to shell-out for everyone in your family/friend's list. If you can, that's pretty great, but a lot of us cannot. (Did you hear that the running amount was $25 PER TEACHER this year? Yeah, not in this family!) Although I would not exclude the teachers (GOD BLESS THOSE PEOPLE!!), $25 EACH is not in our budget. (That would be $50 for Zeplin alone...and if we added all the Bible teachers at BSF and Awanas, we would be several hundred dollars in the hole.) When possible (if your family is agreeable, for instance), playing Secret Santa helps you stay in budget and limits the stress incredibly (finding that "perfect gift" for one person instead of 30...sounds lovely!).
The kiddos can even jump in and do a toy exchange/Secret Santa by finding the perfect gift for the cousin/friend/etc. whose name they drew by sharing their old toys. (Just be respectful. Nothing damaged or too old for enjoyment.)
*Santa. Oh man...we all want that picture. I get it. BUT, standing in (a long) line at the (crowded) mall and paying (a pocketful) for one picture isn't easy. Utilize Santa appearances. Our neighbors meet him at Chic-Fil-A. We got FREE family pictures done at our children's museum. He visits different places and if you keep you eyes and ears open, you may find his whereabouts.
*Shop after-season. In the days and weeks after holidays, stores are looking to unload anything that didn't sell during peak-season. By shopping then, you can save TONS! Check out some of these great finds I got the weeks after Christmas.
$2- at Hobby Lobby (@80% off)
Red tree. $1.50 at Dollar General. (half price)
Santa at Noni's House. GCM (FREE*)
So friends, it is now February!!! And I feel this urgent need to get this post out there (finally!!!).
I hope you found some helpful ideas here and encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open for more, fun and frugal *humble* celebrating ideas! Oh, and check out this fantastic find off of Pintrest: kiddosatshome.com
yours,
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