A Free Christmas

[staceyy]

On several other boards I belong to, there are mother's who truly seem traumatized because they cannot afford Christmas for their families. One mother said her husband forbade her (we won't even get into this) to buy anything for Christmas this year, and she has several young children. She sounded so depressed. We offered our suggestions of course.I thought maybe we could start a thread here to help people in similar situations since this is a frugal board. Please take the time to think what you would do if you were in a similar circumstance. I'll start with my suggestions knowing not all of my suggestions will be helpful to someone in dire straits, but hoping some of my suggestions will be helpful. I pray those who are suffering financially will be led to this thread and that many of you will take the time to give your input. Feel free to give suggestions re: all aspects of the holiday season from food and drink to presents, decorations and anything else that you feel needs to be addressed. Not everything has to be free, some things can be low cost. If someone plans ahead, they can afford low cost.

I'd like to begin by saying that Christmas comes once every year. If you're not prepared this year, you probably won't be prepared next year either. Preparations should be made way ahead of the actual event. The bills you pay in March are the same bills you have to pay in December. Most people do not suddenly get a big windfall in December to cover all of their bills and Christmas too. After Christmas sales are a good time to start buying for the following Christmas. If you're truthful with yourself, you can look back over the past year and see where you frittered away money on useless purchases. This money could have been used to help lessen the Christmas burden.

Years ago, before my mother passed away, she used to take in foster children. One Christmas I wanted to do something special for these kids plus some under-privileged kids in my family, but I had no money. I prayed about this and came up with the following solution. I had plenty of food, a Christmas tree and decorations. I planned a party and made lots of food and Christmas desserts. I called Toys For Tots and explained what I wanted to do. They happily agreed to supply the gifts. They asked me for the ages of the children and supplied three gifts for each child which I wrapped in comics. The party was a big hit with the kids! We took pictures which I still love to look at to this day.

This year I will hardly spend any money for Christmas.

We save our change all year long and usually have about $500 saved by Christmas.

I send for internet freebies all year, throw them in a drawer and use them for stocking stuffers at Christmas.Please note there are lots of freebies for kids on the internet. I've seen jump ropes, books, activity books, paper dolls, dvd's, childrens toothbrushes etc. etc.

We travel extensively and save our hotel and airline points. At Christmas, we use the hotel points to buy merchandise. Last year I bought dh a camcorder with my points and he bought me an espresso/cappuccino machine with his.
We offered dd a round-trip airline ticket to visit for the holidays.

Once a year in December, our cell phone provider gives us free cell phones (3). I hand these out to my family as Christmas gifts .

I make my own greeting cards, gourmet Christmas treats and desserts, and wrap my presents in newspaper.

Real Christmas trees are expensive, I bought a beautiful retro white Christmas tree after Christmas one year and recycle it from year to year. I also recycle my Christmas decorations and bows.

We usually throw a Christmas party for my family each year. Everyone brings a dish, we sit around the fireplace, talk, eat, drink hot cocoa and popcorn. Christmas music is played in the background. We no longer exchange gifts. We set up a cookie table like the ones on www.robinsweb.com. Last year we set a gingerbread house in the center of the table, and placed tins, boxes and tiered cookie trees around the gingerbread house. It looked like Santa's bake shop. It was really quite spectacular looking.

Several months ago, I purchased two, new, hand-crocheted afghans. They are beautiful. One I paid $20 for and the other $30.

Christmas breakfast is usually homemade strawberry waffles with whipped cream and served with sliced ham. I might do stuffed omelets this year. I haven't decided on what to serve for Christmas dinner this year. We usually serve ham but ham prices are very expensive this year. I plan on making homemade eggnog to drink over the holidays. I hope these suggestions will help someone.

Best Holiday Wishes,

Stacey

[staceyy]

I'd like to add that I purchased the two beautiful hand-crocheted afghans on Ebay.

[homesteadmamma]

Great post.

I always remember dh's mom. She had so little and yet every Christmas she would give her kids something. We were poor then too and often couldn't afford a box of Mandarin oranges. Every year she would give us a box on Christmas day. It was wonderful to get those. She would wait until almost the last day to purchase the box so was able to get it at a reduced rate. One year, she couldn't afford boxes for all 5 of her kids. Instead she put out a number of socks and filled them with candy canes, peanuts and at the bottom, several mandarin oranges. She has been gone now for years and yet I always remember this touching gift.

A fun thing to do during the Christmas season is making cookies with your kids. Have them decorate them, package them up and give has gifts to grandparents, teachers or family friends. The cost is minimal and the family has a lot of fun. You can even package them up and take them to soup kitchens or pass them out on the street.

Dh and I make many of our Christmas gifts. The first year we were here we had a pioneer Christmas. It was so much fun watching our children make gifts. Dh still has the "holie" scarf dd knit him.

We spend very little at Christmas time. I purchase our turkey when it comes on sale at 99¢ a lb. (I live in Canada), use potatoes that have been grown from our garden, make my own stuffing from dried bread I've saved and we have vegetables from our garden that I've frozen earlier in the year. I do make punch, however at minimal cost. Instead of purchasing mixed nuts which cost so much, I purchase peanuts in bulk. I wait until candy canes go on sale and purchase a few boxes. This year we don't have to because the school sent dh a large fruit basket and there were oodles of candy canes. They are now hanging on the tree and the kids will be eating them right up until Christmas.

Gifts in a jar make wonderful gifts and again cost very little. Find a good bean soup recipe and fill your jars with beans. You can purchase them in bulk at most food or health food stores.

[sunshine]

I've been there! Here's what we've done & did in the past. (thankfully, we're able to plan better now-- but we got caught by surprise the first year dh got sick -- no income, lots of medical bills, etc. and 3 little ones who still believed in Santa)

I picked up aluminum cans for cash-- then went to the Dollar Store for gifts. At least one store bought toy per child.

I went through my old clothes, the kids old clothes, my parents old clothes, etc. I made "new" clothes for the kids --- a doll for my dd, complete with a wardrobe. . . We made rubber band guns for the boys from downed tree limbs that we whittled. I made fabric game boards and race tracks --- used milk jug lids for checkers.

A big bag of balloons filled up the empty spaces under the tree. . and the kids never missed having a mountain of toys.

[sunshine]

Oh yeah! I never did this, but they might consider it. . .

Sign up for all the community give aways this time of year. . . Salvation Army, churches, etc.

[pkellyc]

I know of a young mother this year that is complaining that she will only have 1 gift for their daughter this Christmas. She arrived at my house this morning with 6 deli bagels, some spreadable cream cheese and a tropicana o.j.. And all I could think of was that she could have bought 3 or 4 gifts for her dd at the dollar store if she just ate a bowl of cereal before she came. Some people just don't get it. They think Christmas is not budgeted in and we just have money for everything without any conscious thought.
We are older now but money was tight when the girls were small. There were many times that we ate grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner to save for the holiday, limiting the amount cheese that went between the bread no less. We had what we refer to as the pine cone Christmas because we had so many of them around the house. Did I say house? I meant apartment we couldn't afford a house then. We made wreaths for everyone that year.
We made suet feeders another year for family and friends.
I remember a year of tissue holders made out of plastic canvas for gifts.
I made small purses filling them with small samples, and knit scarfs for the girls.
I made them Christmas ornaments out of plastic canvas and homemade fudge to put into their stockings.
We did not whine to anyone especially the kids.
We attended church.
We taught the girls that Christmas was about giving if not gifts then we gave of ourselves.
The girls made our cards one year out of stacks of paper that my sil gave us from her office and coloring crayons.
We did all the free activities that we could, looking at lights, making a big deal out of Christmas specials on T.V., we baked sugar cookies because I could not afford chocolate chips.
We would save our bottles and DH would bring home cans that people would throw away at work for a couple of extra dollars to spend.
Our pennies were cashed in, we couldn't save any silver in those days.
My DH would also save aluminum plates that his company was throwing away cashing them in at Christmas.
As far as food I would always have to bring deviled eggs, or chip and dip to events it was all I could afford. We were fortunate in the fact that both our parents were close by and always provided our holiday dinners.
No my girls have never had just 1 gift to open from Santa but it wasn't without a lot of planning, scrimping, sacrificing and creativity.

[PrairieRose]

We've seen some lean times at Christmas too but somehow, someway we always managed to have enough for the kids' gifts (mostly self deprivation was the way, but it didn't hurt us any). I think when you think far enough in advance there's really not much excuse for not having anything for your kids. I mean with freecycle nowadays a lot of folks could get by with some freebies and also by putting the word out for things that you're looking for. There are ofcourse exceptions to every rule and much more desperate situations that we've ever endured, I'm not so arrogant to think otherwise. But for the most part I do believe that planning alone can circumvent a lot of this type of crisis.

Great thread!

[sunshine]

I whole heartedly agree that advance planning can eliminate the majority of these sorts of crisis. . . unfortunately, that doesn't help someone who finds themselves in a messTHIS year. . .

So I say, lend a hand -- give advice and help them to plan for next year.

[bumplett]

~earlier this year, I had someone teach me how to crochet - so I would suggest to anyone that doesn't know how to - find someone that can teach you to crochet or knit - yarn is very cheap at thrift stores/yard sales - ( I realize that this thought won't help this year, but it would be a good goal for next year)

~ we always bake/decorate cookies at home - the kids LOVE it!

~ we have decorated trees outside with mother nature's ornaments - peanut butter/birdseed pinecones, popcorn on string, etc... it's nice to see the birds & squirrels enjoy the holiday also.

~ we used to decorate the tree w/ popcorn on a string inside - but the puppy won't allow it this year We also have an artificial tree - same tree for YEARS - the kids can make paper chains to decorate with also

~ I love the idea of saving freebies throughout the year - I'm going to do this in 2007!!! I can't wait to see what kind of stash I have come next December!

[fernykins]

I have sent in Hershey wrappers to get jewery cost just for the stamp I got my grandsons sleeping bags and a tent from Marlboro. I picked the upc's up off the ground. If you look around and plan you can do almost anything
Fern

[Bethany]

I say shop second hand whenever possible.
It's great for the environment, it's great for small businesses and it's great for the charitable organization that runs the thrift store. I would never go into Gap and spend 50 bucks on a sweater when I'm practically certain to find one for 8 dollars or less at my local consignment store/boutique!!! Very rarely do I leave a second hand store empty handed.

[monkeywrangler71]

We are actually in a position where we do get a large sum of money in Dec, but I'm not about to go out and spend an obscene amount of money on the holidays, just because I can. I was fortunate enough to have very little money when my oldest child was young, so she grew up not expecting piles of gifts from me. So, I will buy her one expensive gift, and the rest will be cheap, free, or homemade. There is no need for excess, even if you can afford it.

I just started with the freebies this year, and it didn't even occur to me that I should save them for stockings until about a month ago. I have a few things, but plan to have a lot more next year. I've cashed in points from icoke & Chapman's for stocking stuffers (we save our credit card miles for travel), and I have a couple small prizes.

I've done crafty things in the past, but usually spent as much on them as I would have on a store-bought gift. I find the creative gifts go over better than the crafty gifts. This year I'm making the journal jar for my daughter. I'm making books for my toddlers about themselves - just pictures of them with different people in their lives, and simple captions - they love to look at pictures of themselves and people they know, plus it will help them learn to read. Of course, with the cost of printing, these gifts may not turn out to be that cheap. I've given my daughter gift certificates for a free room cleaning. She loves that. I've given my husband gift certificates for many ''special favours" - also well received. I've made photo calendars for grandparents - again, printing costs can get out of hand - and DVDs of home movies. Last year my mother put a book of recipes together for my daughter - she got every family member's favourite recipe, and typed them up in a binder.

There are all kinds of simple gifts that you could make for small children, just look up on homeschooling sites, or rainyday activity sites - puppets, homemade playdough, bubbles, etc.

I stock up on crayons & coloured pencils during back to school sales. They are great stocking stuffers. There are usually lots of nice pens marked way down around late Sept - when everyone's done shopping for school and they want the space for Halloween candy.

I don't find our food expenses go up at this time of year. We don't entertain, there is no one around that we know. We are fortunate enough to have dinner every night, and I don't find turkey any more expensive than our other meals. I know that this is not the case for many people. I don't do any extra baking - who would eat it? - I bake all year. We eat the same amount over the holidays as we would eat any other week.

We bought a fake tree last year that cost less than a real tree. I've never bought an ornament, they seem to multiply in the box all year by themselves. I don't like to decorate, so I've never spent any money on that, but I'm sure you could just find stuff outside that would be prettier than anything you could buy.

I've had plenty of wonderful holidays without spending piles of money.

[jinx]

When my boys were younger and we were barely making ends meet, I used to live in the dollar store, the salvation army store I always had a couple of toys for the kids each year. My dh and I never exchanged so the kids wouldnt do without. I would also wrap everything including stocking stuffers.
Gifts for the kids came first then everyone elses. for others I usually did cookies, or something homemade. when my kids got older and wanted to pick out gifts for the grandparents, I would give them a few dollars and let them loose in the dollar store. They would then wrap them themselves. My parents and In-laws got a kick out of what the kids picked out, like the 50 cent bottle of cologne (lol) or the blue stripped socks. they knew we didnt have much money, so they didnt expect much in the way of gifts from us.