Christmas Day isn’t expensive, it’s the month leading up to it that consumes all the money. Here are a few little things I’m doing right now to keep my head in the frugal game without sacrificing fun and festivities.
1. CHEAP wrapping paper. Ordinarily, I’m not a fan of buying things I throw away – it’s something I’ve been trying to get away from. However, when I came across a roll of Christmas wrapping paper that was very large (I don’t remember how many yards and I’m cozy on the couch right now), so large that I’m positive I’ll have some left over for next year and only $1.99, I picked it up. I’ll still sew some gift bags but friends, I’m not going to pass up something cheap that’s going to make my life MUCH easier.
2. Tiny pieces of tape. This is going to sound over the top to you I’m sure but I use a LOT of tape this time of year. When wrapping gifts I use very small pieces of tape and only as many pieces as necessary to hold the paper closed. For small gifts I use 3 small pieces of tape. For larger gifts I use 5. Go ahead, laugh.
3. Taking advantage of free events. Tonight we have an event going on in our town called “Old Tyme Christmas.” There was a write-up in the paper about it listing all the different things that would be going on. I cut out the article and underlined everything that was free. Tonight we’ll see: Frosty the Snowman, Monty The Moose and Santa Claus. We’ll have free apple crisp (and other refreshments – who knows what those will be) and go on a free carriage ride with Santa. I am not even going to go into a place that will charge something ($5 for Chloe to do a craft – no).
4. Don’t leave the Christmas lights on. This one is tricky. Chloe gets very sad if I turn the lights off. She loves them. So, I turn them off at night and during nap times. I also sneak around and unplug them when she isn’t looking. An outlet timer
5. Making ornaments instead of buying them. This is an easy thing when you have kids but even if you don’t you can make some really nice ones out of things you may already have. We made some out of pine cones, ribbon and glitter.
6. Watching TV specials. There are all sorts of great things on TV on the low channels (we have basic cable) this time of year. I’ve been making it an event with Chloe and she has LOVED it. She gets all ready for bed and then we snuggle in my bed and watch Christmas specials in our pj’s.
What little frugal things have you been doing?
Why I do what I do ~ Every now and then I get a little misty and wish I could stall time – just for a little bit. For as long as she’s know who he is, Chloe has called Clifford the Big Red Dog, “Clippord.” Today I heard her correct herself and say, “Oops, I mean CliFFord.” I want her to know the correct way to say it, but I’m going to miss the way she used to say it.
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Great ideas. My main focus this year was to use what we had and buy NOTHING new. So far, I’ve been able to do that. We had one outdoor lighted deer that needed some “mending” and it still doesn’t work perfectly but it will work for now.
I will make some new ornaments since I ususally give them away as gifts.
I like to save the comics from the Sunday paper (and even the weekly ones now they are colored, too) and use them as wrapping paper. The sheets are big enough for most gifts and it is fun to see such brightly colored packages! I also shop the after-christmas sales looking for wrapping paper that is generic looking (ie, not so CHRISTMASY) so I can use it all year round. Last year I picked up 3 rolls of a very pretty green and one transformers and one winnie the pooh.
I, too, am a tape scrooge! But one year, my brother decided to wrap all his gifts with about 12 pounds of tape EACH. It was so funny because it was impossible to open them & we had to get some scissors and a box cutter! After that, I have scaled back my taping even more so that we don’t have to spend 5 hours opening presents and can get back to eating cookies at all hours of the day.
I’ve received many gifts wrapped in the Sunday “funnies!”
I get the same feeling every time I hear my son correct how he says “cimmamon”
For cheap wrapping paper, I’ve been using artwork. I have a roll of art paper I got for 50% of at Jo-Ann’s forever ago. When we do a big, on the floor, style art project, I save it and use it to wrap presents later. I don’t care if it’s always red and blue (my son’s favorite colors).
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Great idea for the wrapping paper!
I make a lot of my gifts. I crochet, and it’s fun to make clothes or toys for little nephews and nieces, and shawls for elderly aunts.
The discussion of “little-kid speech” reminded me of our daughter’s cutest mispronunciation. She saw the Disney film “Pocahontas” and became obsessed with the character for awhile, except she called her “Pockaboosis.”
Enjoy Christmas!
@Susan – that is TOO cute!!
Hulu.com also has some Christmas specials that you can watch for free if you don’t have cable.
I am making many of our gifts.