Christmas has the chance to be either wonderful or stressful, but they will be ‘full’ of something. I spent years in a panic trying to balance the extra groceries along with last-minute gifts and changes of plans. I would live for January 1st when life would descend into ‘normalful.’ It would make home management a nightmare.
My husband is a lot like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. If someone gives him something of value, he feels obligated to provide them with something of equal value. It’s exhausting. Add the stress of decorating so your home is inviting but stylish. At the same time, your toddlers do their best to dismantle your decorations from the ceiling after you painstakingly wove lights and ornaments through them and you have a recipe for stress and resentment.
For many years society frowned on the word frugal but I believe it’s high time we celebrated it; starting with a frugal Christmas! There are countless ways you can have a frugal budget-friendly holiday. All it takes is creativity and determination. Here are 10 genius tips for a frugal Christmas without sacrificing holiday joy.
1. Start with a frugal budget
The budget is important for a frugal Christmas, even if it’s zero. But, if you have funds in the bank for Christmas and all that it entails, budget out everything. That way, you know what you can say yes to and what you need to say no to. This can also help you budget your schedule (win-win).
I recommend you create your Christmas budget at the start of the year. Over the year, you can shop and prep whenever a sale occurs. This way, you’re less likely to forget anyone on your list. As things change throughout the year, go back to your budget and check it twice to ensure you are on track. If you’re lucky, you might have everything for Christmas before December 1st!
One way to organize this information is with a spreadsheet or printable, like this one:
2. DIY Christmas Decorations
I have four children and we live in a small space. There is no reason to spend a ton of money on decorations. Here are some frugal Christmas decoration ideas.
- Classic paper snowflakes like these
- Use ribbon from the thrift store to make your cupboards look like they are wrapped
- Use real greens found on your property. Both free and disposable, allowing for less storage.
- You can pick up suncatchers that your kids can paint from the dollar store to decorate your windows.
- Use only the decorations that you already have.
3. Handmade Gifts with Heart
As I said earlier, homemade gifts are my go-to every year. I even do it for my children almost every year. It’s the best frugal Christmas tip there is. Here’s a list of different DIY gifts that I have done over the years:
- Christmas ornaments
- You can do the classic paint-in-the-ball and then use a marker to put their name and the year on it. This is a great tutorial.
- Homemade handprint ornaments
- These are great for capturing the little hands each year. You can use Yummy Toddler Food’s method.
- Bread
- If you can bake bread, sometimes a simple loaf of bread is welcome for those who don’t know how to make homemade bread.
- Homemade canned good
- If it’s tight, raid your pantry! I’m not talking about the store-bought can of pees. If you make preserves, tie a ribbon around them with a cute homemade name tag and there you go.
- If you do a fiber craft, gift something you already made.
- Sewing, crocheting, and cross-stitching are some of my favorite hobbies. I forever have things that I have made but have no place for. I gift them to loved ones at Christmas.
- Create a coloring book for kids!
- There was one year when I drew several bible verses and then bound them with staples for my niece and nephew. You don’t even have to draw. You can use Canva to create them.
Be sure to include the kids if you have any. There are a ton of cute kid crafts that can make meaningful gifts for family members.
4. Embrace Potluck Gatherings
I have a family that loves the big dinners and a husband who doesn’t mind doing all the cooking. But, a lot of what we cook we have grown and preserved. If you have to buy everything for those big dinners it gets expensive, fast. Add the usual Christmas parties, and you’ve blown the grocery budget before you reach Christmas. I understand that the big turkey dinner is a tradition for a lot of families, you can have a lot of fun by making it a potluck. Whoever is hosting can make the turkey and gravy while everyone else handles something else. That takes the stress off you and your budget and allows others to pitch in.
Christmas parties can be less stressful with this method too. Have everyone bring their favorite Christmas dessert and favorite finger food. Then you can provide the space without breaking the bank.
5. Shop Smart and Early
BRING ON THE THRIFT! Here’s the thing, just like the concept of frugal, the idea of buying presents at the thrift store causes people to gasp in horror and clutch their pearls. They can’t understand why they are lucky they got anything at all. When one tries to explain the situation, it can go like this:
Thrifting Christmas gifts and shopping sales will save your budget. Now, you have the travel expenses that are sometimes expected of you. That is why you want to be shopping all year long. Have a bin somewhere that is for Christmas gifts. When you find something, wrap it, label it, and put it in the bin. Then write on your printable what you got and who it was for. That way you don’t buy for someone twice. When Christmas comes, you’ll be all set and you won’t have to shop during the huge rush.
6. Focus on Free or Low-Cost Experiences
Part of what makes Christmas magical are the events that happen only once a year. Example: One of our local churches does a living nativity scene. They bring in live animals and members of the congregation dress the part and narrate the whole story. Our church used to put on a Living Christmas Tree concert. But those cost money. So, how can you have Christmas experiences when you are attempting a frugal Christmas? Here’s a list of ideas:
- Do a Santa Clause marathon (or any Christmas movie) with popcorn, hot cocoa, and Christmas cookies with only the Christmas lights on.
- Host friends for a Christmas baking day so everyone can work together, bake, and have fun.
- Go to your local Santa Claus parade
- Visit a seniors home for caroling
- Go to the local tree-lighting
- Take a tour of your area to see the Christmas lights
7. Reuse and Repurpose Wrapping Supplies
My family always joked that my grandparents never threw out any gift bags. They had a bag for every sized present and if something came in a nice box (not Amazon), it was carefully broken down and reused. That mentality was not passed down from that generation to the next but it should be. Wrapping presents can be expensive and tedious. Here are some tips for wrapping your gifts
- create your wrapping paper
- Get craft paper, and make stamps out of potatoes or sponges. Let the kids go nuts, covering it with stamps, doodles, or other drawings. Now you have meaningful wrapping paper.
- If you sew, make your fabric gift bags. You can make any size and it scrunchs up much easier, taking up less space.
- Use old newspapers. When I was a kid my favorite wrapping paper to get was the comics section.
8. Set Limits on Gift-Giving
When you have a larger circle of friends, gift-giving can become rather stressful. My girlfriends and I decided we could do cards, food items, or thrifting. Nothing that costs an arm and a leg since we all had to spend money on fuel to see each other.
I know of other large families that do a Yankee swap or a Secret Santa. That way, everyone gets something but no one is stressed about it. Above all, set a financial limit that applies to everyone.
9. Give the Gift of Time
I believe this one has been undervalued in today’s consumer society. It’s all about how many presents are under the tree rather than who is gathered. That is why giving experiences is the number one best gift. Here are some ideas for you:
- For New Moms: free babysitting/housekeeping or kid-friendly friends day out.
- For Family: Movie nights with all the fixing
- For Kids: Craft Day with tons of crafts supplies and they can make whatever they want
- For Couples: Romantic Dinner at home
- For Friends: Book Exchange. Give each other your favorite books
- For Everyone: Go on a nature walk or a geo-cach together.
These need little money and can help you develop a closer relationship. Make sure that it is something that you and your friend/family member would enjoy doing together.
Conclusion
I hope these tips enable you to have a relaxing and meaningful Christmas. All it takes to have a frugal Christmas is creativity and imagination. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully Happy New Year!
Comment below with any of your favorite budget-friendly holiday traditions!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!
