I have a lot of friends who say that they are frugal all year round so that they can “do up Christmas right.” Then, I have other friends who spend all year and then have no money left for Christmas. I think I fall somewhere in the middle, leaning toward a frugal Christmas, although I don’t “spend all year long.” I do, however, always tend to spend more than I originally plan on spending for the holidays.
I was the only child of two only children, so Christmas was always pretty much whatever I wanted, which was always books, even though we weren’t particularly well-off. I remember talking to one of my friends, every year, on the 26th and she would tell me about the two presents she had gotten and I always remember feeling a little badly that I had gotten so much when she had gotten so little, but she was perfectly happy with what she had.
I try not to go overboard with my kids and only get them things they really want. For example, DS10 came home with the Scholastic book order the other day and had a ton of things circled. I ordered some of it and sent it to his teacher with a note asking her to let me know when it arrived because I would come pick it up and put some away for Christmas. He will get one book when the order comes in and then I’ve tricked him into thinking that’s all I ordered. DD and DS12 just want gift cards to places. DS5 wants EVERYTHING, but I’m thinking of a few things to get him.
DH and I don’t exchange gifts anymore, so that’s not really a concern.
Do you do big spending on the holidays, particularly if you have kids, or small spending?
Like most people, I spend where I want to on Christmas. I like cards and having a real tree, and buying ornaments and decorations.
As far as present, there are few people I buy for and I try and go easy on my kids. They are the only grandchildren on both sides (pretty much) so they always get a ton of stuff, so I don’t like to go overboard. I also find that they still change their minds a lot so I tend not to buy stuff ahead of time.
This year I got a Xbox One on Amazon Prime Day, so that’s going to be the big one under the tree.
If I could find a cheap Wii U, I’d have the happiest 5 year old in the world! He loves Mario Kart, but they only make the new one for the Wii U, and there are other games that they only make for the Wii U, and they don’t make Wii games anymore. I’m not ready to give up our Wii because I still love my Wii Fit Plus and DS5 loves Wii Sports and every now and then the kids will play one of the Wii games we have. However, I also can’t justify having a Wii and a Wii U.
We did buy the Wii U. And we have a Wii. Zach left the Wii at a friend’s house. sigh We need to get it back.
Anyway I love the Wii U because of the handheld. Although that stylus? ugh I’m always looking for it. It’s probably missing right now as I type.
But I love that Matt can play Wii U and we can still watch TV if we want to and we’re all together on the same couch. Not that they can’t do that with a 3DS, but it’s a bigger screen and different games.
I’m guessing you’ll find Wii U on sale fairly soon with the release of Nintendo’s NX. I think that’s slated for early spring 2017.
We are low key for Christmas gifts… and high key for celebrating. We enjoy the get togethers, the meals together, etc. But we don’t do big gifts, and never have. While we love gift giving, it’s always been more important to us to celebrate Jesus, and our family. We still give gifts to our sibs. This year, my bro in law and wife will be getting a gourmet pasta dinner basket that we are putting together with 4 kinds of pasta, 2 kinds of pesto, a bottle of olive oil, and some pretty kitchen towels that match their colors. My sibs are getting a framed photo that I took of my dad’s tractor in the old barn out on their farm. I do art photography, and was quite proud of how this turned out. I also have a special supper that I plan for my sibs and spouses each year. My mom is homebound, so I give her a meal of the month certificate. Each month, I go to a different restaurant and get a to-go meal for the two of us, and we enjoy it together. Hubby and I give each other a vacation. Last year we went in the winter to Jekyll Island and Orlando. This coming winter we will be going to Texas. He also usually searches for some craft items for me at the thrift store, and I give him a gift certificate to Arby’s since he loves their jamoca shakes. Our son and wife this year get one of my photo art prints, framed, plus we give them a check to help on expenses. Finally, our grandchildren. We try to get them something to wear and something fun.
We don’t know what’s happening this Christmas. The people who normally come may not be here. Which isn’t all bad. They have family coming for Christmas.
DH and I want to give ourselves new laptops for Christmas. We need them anyways, so we may as well give them as gifts. Saves us spending more money yet. Unfortunately we can’t find what we want in the price range we want. Typical.
I’m thinking it’s time to change a few cooking traditions around here. We won’t have people to help eat cookies and such. So I might make one batch and that’s it. DH and I won’t eat a whole turkey. DH doesn’t like turkey and I find ham too salty. So it will probably be a chicken dinner. I also won’t make our super rich rice pudding either. It’s hard to eat up. Possibly I’ll bake one pie, but we’ll see.
I hope to spend time over Christmas volunteering and making the holiday season a little cheerier for others. Not sure how I’ll do that, but we’ll see.
I try to splurge a bit for kids around Christmas – but we also try to frame their presents in the style of a need, to read, to wear, and a want.
Dubya’s big gift (aka the want) this year is a laptop and Lego Mindstorms set I bought off craigslist. It’s amazing and he is gonna spazz out. (And I have verified that it all works just fine). For his wear – I’ll probably get him a sweatshirt from West Point. He has expressed interest in attending, so I’d like to foster that. As for his read – there’ a fun zombie book I want to snag him. And I never know quite what to do for the need – I provide his needs already.
Moo’s big gift is the Target brand American Girl doll house. I earned a bunch of Target gift cards from the gymnastics studio and was able to get it with no money out of pocket. Her wear is always easy – something super cute and usually related to a cat. For her read – I’m thinking Ramona Quimby. Her need – probably a long sleeve leo.
Other things I do for kids as a part of the Christmas tradition is a new ornament for the tree, something relating back to the previous year and a new pair of pajamas.
Z and I probably won’t exchange gifts this year – unlss it’s house related.
I’ve been using swagbucks for amazon cards to buy gifts for others and trying to buy a present or two a paycheck to level out the expense.
My mom was a single mother who worked retail for a while. She bought her trees on Christmas Eve when they’re 1/2 off. We usually cut snowflakes from wrapping paper and that and a few balls and lights were our traditional tree. (The topper was a snowflake my brother carved for the purpose of styrofoam.)
IF we have a tree (Not often. Did it for the store every year, had a science fiction tree, spent a lot of time and money on it, no energy or bucks for the home tree after that!) like we did last year, because of the two cats, it’s now all paper/wood ornaments and mini lights. I sold many of my ornaments last year.
I decided I wouldn’t use tinsel anymore last year and gave away a new box. It’s expensive and it goes in the trash – hello? Years ago friends of mine made beaded icicles for resale. I’ve always done bead work so when I visited them, I’d pitch in. They gave me a large box for Christmas that year and we still use them. I decided I didn’t need them and tinsel too, so the tinsel went.
I also gave up purpose made ornament hangers last year. it’s a bent piece of wire, right? We have all kinds of wire in the house. If I need ornament hooks, I’ll make them!
This was about frugality, but it also about waste and storing too much stuff. I had 3 trunks of Christmas stuff, for TWO people? We never have company, don’t have family Christmases,etc. so what do I need THREE trunks o’ stuff for? I don’t.
Oh! We do have one tradition, cheap and I really like it. We cut off the bottom of the tree and date it with the year. It gets stored with the ornaments. We burn it on Christmas Eve the following year as we’re decorating the tree. (Could use New Year’s.) I’ve never heard of anyone else doing that, but I like the idea that a piece of the past becomes the present and then wafts away into the air/future. It’s the romantic in me I guess.
If possible we are going to be even a little more frugal this year. Hubs went to a sale at the hardware store and got these super plastic tackle boxes… or handyman boxes… whatever… Any way, they are large and really nice. We got one for son and one for each kid. They can use them for what ever they want, but they all love fishing, so it might go for that. Anyhoo… they cost $3 each… brand new. Going to put a little something in the box for each one. Sibs are getting more photos of the family farm, as they all expressed how much they loved the one from last year, and 2 of them made a special display at their homes for the picture. I’m going to give them some choices of subject and size and framing, so will customize it for them that way. Another year of meal of the month for Mom… she loves that so much, and probably a sweater to keep her warm. Hubs and I will be giving each other a winter trip down to Gulf Shores in Alabama.
By the way, I love the tradition of cutting off the end of the tree… it’s just that we use an artificial tree…
Well, we live in the woods and burn wood to heat with, so it’s an obvious thing. btw, if you do this, put it in a grocery bag, traditional trees are pine and usually seep sap. . . ick.
Another thing I do, I’d forgotten about. My SIL has the biggest family group. I went out and bought “cookie” tins for everyone in her house. During the year, I put into the tins small things I come across which the kids or adults might like: coasters, toys, newspaper clippings, etc. Around November I mail them off. It’s my version of a stocking and it’s both frugal and eco-friendly. She mails the tins back to me around Feb., and I start all over again.
I have heard of that (not necessarily the burning part, but still making an ornament), but have never done it. We have only had a real tree a couple of times. I think it’s a very neat tradition. I used to make ornaments with the kids every year the week before Christmas, but I haven’t done that in a couple of years.
our Christmas now has gone to, take the money you were going to spend on me, and buy something for yourselves that you want, wrap it and we will open them on Christmas day.
this has turned out to be so much fun… one year the kids bought themselves pots and pans, hoodies… we have bought ourselves underwear, slippers, jeans, socks, lots of socks… and you always get what you wanted… sometimes we spend a lot, sometimes its not much…
Well I read my old post from last October and had to smile. We didn’t buy the new laptops until summer of 2017…after our income tax returns came in.
This year is not terribly frugal so far. We have decided we’re heading to a spa and spending some time there. We figure, even though the spa is a $500 touch (meals included), it will be cheaper than feeding extra people for three or four days, and the hassle of figuring out and giving them gifts. They’re relatives, in case anyone is wondering.
As for gifts this year, I received a Bay gift card for my birthday. I never shop Bay for myself, so I spent it on cheap chocolates to give as Christmas gifts. Other than that I went through my stuff I’m selling and came up with some items to give as gifts instead.
Our big expenditure this year was to create a wedding scrapbook for DD#1 and her DH. So far it’s cost about $200 in photos and supplies alone. It’s finished though, and I’m hoping to mail it for free tomorrow on a special Canada Post has for small businesses.
Other than that, the girls are receiving family heirlooms for Christmas. DH and I aren’t buying any gifts for each other. I will have to buy a few for friends, but it will be edible stuff as most of my friends have more than enough stuff in their homes!
We have a fake tree that we bought on clearance after Christmas one year super cheap.
We keep using it even though the lights are dying and it isn’t quite what it used to be.
But it is decorated with ornaments from my and DH’s childhood, and ornaments made by the kids and that tree is covered, so it kind of hides the faults in the tree.
This year, I am looking as hard as I can for a heavily discounted Lego Death Star. I doubt I will find one and DS11 won’t get one, because there is no way I am spending $500 on Legos. I don’t spend $500 on anything!
Other than that, I have no idea what I want to get for the kids for Christmas. The big kids simply want gift cards. I should start buying and hiding them now so it’s not all one big bill come Christmas time. As for the little guy, I have no idea.
Thank you!!! I just forwarded it to my husband to see if we might be able to swing it as a combined Birthday and Christmas gift, which sucks, and I know because my birthday is January 3rd, but it might be worth it for the little guy!
He loves Mario Kart, but they only make the new one for the Wii U, and there are other games that they only make for the Wii U, and they don’t make Wii games anymore. I’m not ready to give up our Wii because I still love my Wii Fit Plus and DS5 loves Wii Sports and every now and then the kids will play one of the Wii games we have. However, I also can’t justify having a Wii and a Wii U.