Christmas is definitely an exciting time of year- the house is full of family visitors, your mailbox bursting with holiday greetings from old friends, invitations to holiday parties, and don’t forget all the scrumptious holiday baking! Unfortunately, it’s easy to get bogged down by the stress of providing your family with the Christmas of their dreams. The pressure of materialism is everywhere- television, newspapers, magazines, and most importantly, friends, classmates and coworkers. So how do you stick to your frugal budget yet make your kids happy?

The first thing you should do is adjust your children’s expectations. Call and family meeting and talk to your children about the upcoming holiday, steering the conversation to the true meaning of Christmas. Explain to them that the family is trying to save money right now and this Christmas might be a little different than previous years. However, reassure them that this doesn’t mean Christmas is going to be any less enjoyable.

Get into the holiday spirit with your family by doing activities that represent the season. If you live in snowy climates, get out there and build a snowman with your children, or show them how to make snow angels. Have your children each invite a friend and throw a Christmas cookie party- send each child home with a tin of holiday goodies. Take your family caroling to the houses in your neighborhood and spread the holiday cheer.

Recruit the kids to help decorate the tree the old fashioned way. Pop popcorn and teach your children how to string the kernels together to make garland. Incorporate other foods such as cranberries in between the kernels for variety. Wrap the homemade garland around the tree, step back and admire your creation!

Continue the homemade theme by encouraging your family to give handmade gifts instead of ones purchased at the mall. Push them to use their individual talents to create each gift, whether it’s sewing, painting, knitting, woodwork, etc. Take your own advice and get to work- if you’re not the creative type, pick up a kit at Target or Wal-Mart that takes you through step by step.

Start saving as early as possible for your Christmas shopping- even putting away $5 or $10 a week can add up to a hefty budget when it comes to December. Keep an eye out for specials and discounts featuring items that your children have mentioned. Set a limit for items like stocking stuffers- dollar stores are a great resource.

Remember that the tree doesn’t have to overflow with presents to make a great Christmas. Even though you may not have an unlimited budget this year, what the kids lack in presents they’ll more than make up for in memories.

Posted in Home Budget

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