This year has been a difficult one, financially, for many families. If you’ve been hit hard by the economic downturn then you may be struggling to figure out what you’re going to do for Christmas. Finding the money to pay for gifts, decorations, and celebrations is tiresome enough at the best of times, let alone when there’s a recession in process. The following frugal festive fun ideas are designed to help you enjoy the holiday season without breaking the bank:
Try a Secret Santa: If you can’t afford to buy gifts for every single adult in your circle of friends, then why not arrange a Secret Santa this year? In a Secret Santa, each person draws a name from a hat, and buys a gift for that person. The recipient has no idea who gave them their gift. Each person only has to buy one gift, so it can be quite a substantial saving if you have a large circle of mutual friends.
Take part in community celebrations: Instead of going to an expensive concert, or a pantomime with a cast of has-been celebrities (most of whom your children wouldn’t recognize anyway), why not go to your local carol service or community play? That way, you’re supporting the local community, enjoying a good night out, and saving money at the same time.
Play outside: Christmas nights out never go as planned – the shops are busy, the restaurants crowded, and all the good movies are sold out. Instead of taking the kids out every evening during the holidays, why not play outside with them? If it’s not snowing, take out your garden toys and have a winter picnic. If it is snowing, use those aforementioned garden toys as cover while you have a snowball fight. It’s a simple, often forgotten pleasure, but a good one!
Track Santa: Instead of visiting Santa in a grotto, track him online! NORAD tracks Santa is a fun and educational website. Not only can your children see where Santa is going, they can learn a little about geography, and foreign cultures, at the same time.
Do Some Baking: Christmas puddings, cakes, and snacks are often over-priced compared to their home made equivalents. If you enjoy cooking, try baking your own goodies. You can make more generous servings, involve the kids in making festive designs, and tweak the recipes to your own tastes!
In recent years, the spirit of Christmas has been forgotten in the race towards commercialisation. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the quest to buy the fanciest presents, and have the “perfect” Christmas. Some of the best festive family traditions are born out of a desire to keep things simple. This year, try doing your own thing during the holiday season. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on decorations, don’t bother. If you don’t like Christmas pudding, have apple pie instead. You’ll be happier for it – and really, that’s the only thing that matters!
This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Original Factory Shop, who offer garden toys and other discounted gifts and household essentials.
Frugal Ideas for Festive Fun
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This year has been a difficult one, financially, for many families. If you’ve been hit hard by the economic downturn then you may be struggling to figure out what you’re going to do for Christmas. Finding the money to pay for gifts, decorations, and celebrations is tiresome enough at the best of times, let alone when there’s a recession in process. The following frugal festive fun ideas are designed to help you enjoy the holiday season without breaking the bank:
In recent years, the spirit of Christmas has been forgotten in the race towards commercialisation. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the quest to buy the fanciest presents, and have the “perfect” Christmas. Some of the best festive family traditions are born out of a desire to keep things simple. This year, try doing your own thing during the holiday season. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on decorations, don’t bother. If you don’t like Christmas pudding, have apple pie instead. You’ll be happier for it – and really, that’s the only thing that matters!
This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Original Factory Shop, who offer garden toys and other discounted gifts and household essentials.
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