40+ Ways to Celebrate Christmas on a Budget

Looking for a way to celebrate Christmas on a budget? Check out our huge list of creative ideas for Christmas gifts, activities, and more.

Reader questions: “Do you have any advice for families struggling financially this upcoming holiday season? Do you have any ideas for low-budget festivities or gifts?”

How to celebrate Christmas on a budget

We posted this recent “Reader Questions” on our Facebook page and we were very surprised by what we saw. your answer I decided to turn it into a full blog post.

If you’re feeling stressed about spending too much money, we’ve got lots of tips to help you stay on budget this Christmas season.

budget friendly christmas gift ideas

1. Buy used gifts! Shop for books, games, and puzzles at second-hand bookstores and thrift stores. Facebook Marketplace is also a great way to get great second-hand gifts.

2. Draw the name Therefore, each person will only purchase one gift.

3. Have a white elephant gift exchange A place to give away silly things you already own. (Or try one of these cheaper alternatives!)

4. Plan a treasure hunt on Christmas morning. Children must complete tasks or solve puzzles to get the next clue. You can make the gift-giving time longer and more fun without buying too many presents!

5. Plan an experience, not a gift. — Memberships at local zoos, science museums, nature centers, and more – some places you can take the kids to enjoy year-round. (Check out our list of 145 non-toy gift ideas!)

6. Give a homemade gift — Dough decorations, mixes you make yourself, a cookbook of your family’s favorite recipes, and a photo album of things you’ve made together.

7. Shop (whatever you can afford) at quirky second-hand stores. — Let them choose what they like within the budget you set.

8. Buy early and keep your gift box going all year round! Keep Bath & Body Works freebies on hand all year long as gifts. Buy gifts (candles, socks, cute hand towels, etc.) with Kohl’s cash. Also, don’t forget about new or like-new items with tags that you find at thrift stores.

9. Give the gift of fresh food! One person said they always give out glass pie plates filled with homemade chicken pot pie to their neighbors. You can freeze it or bake it right away and save the pie plate. (See lots of easy neighbor gift ideas here!)

10. Shop sales offering gift cards. Target often offers $5 gift cards when you buy a certain number of items or spend a certain amount. Save your gift cards and use them for birthdays and Christmas!

11. Make a candy tray Or your favorite casserole for friends and family.

12. Don’t forget the classic four gifts: want, need, wear, and read. To prevent waste.

13. Get a gift card or two every time you go to the store. Load up on whatever money you can afford in your budget, even if it’s just $10 or $20. If you save up all year long, you can use it for Christmas shopping.

14. Take the kids to the 100 yen store Shop for your parents, siblings, and grandparents. They’ll love it and it’ll be cheap!

15. Plan a gift exchange for friends and family where you don’t buy anything. — Wrap slightly used items or regift items (be sure to reuse gift wrap, too). It’s so much fun!

16. Create a Christmas savings account — Have a small amount of money transferred automatically every pay cycle. This is like a regular monthly bill and will help you cover your Christmas budget before the holiday season begins.

17. Only stockings please.

18. Or skip stockings altogether. If you end up incurring a large expense.

19. Do Five Below or Dollar Tree Stockings!

20. Just buy presents for the kids. — Talk to your family and friends and see if everyone can agree on this.

21. Or decide not to participate in gift exchanges between family members. Only give gifts to your immediate family (in a polite but firm manner).

22. Leverage local buy-nothing groups. — You never know what you’ll find.

23. Set a specific budget with friends/family. And each person agrees to stick to that budget.

24. Buy one gift per person.

25. Distribution of activity coupon booklets For next year.

26. Take turns opening gifts one at a time. To really appreciate the gift and bring out the experience of opening it.

27. Find creative ways to budget for Christmas throughout the year. (our A cheat sheet to increase your Christmas budget A great place to start!)

Budget-friendly holiday events and activities

1. Find free Christmas events in the area where you live. Neighborhoods and municipalities often host free events with plenty of activities for children.

2. Plan a Christmas movie night at home. — Pick a free movie (or DVD from your library), pop some popcorn and make some hot chocolate!

3. Find local free Christmas performances. — festivals, concerts, church Christmas plays, parades, etc.

4. Have a cookie decorating party (Whether just with family or with friends and neighbors).

5. Make some hot chocolate at home, bake some special treats, and drive to see the lights.. If your city has large trees, check them out too.

6. Decorate the gingerbread house At home! You can get even cheaper prices by using discount products such as sales and coupons.

7. Plan some easy Minute-To-Win-It games. Build around the house using materials you already have.

8. Plan a family game night. We have Christmas illuminations, Christmas music, and Christmas goods.

9. Ask your family to make a vacation bucket list. Think of lots of things you can do for free or cheap (you can also search Google for suggestions) and be intentional about spending time together.

10. Let’s go sing Christmas carols With your neighbors, friends, and family.

11. Read one Christmas book for children on a December night. Check it out from your library for free access. (Or make it even more special by wrapping up books you already have for the kids to open every day!)

12. christmas candy countdown chain (an entire month, 12 days, or any period of time).

13. Plan a “big meal” for the day for breakfast or brunch. That’s because eggs and pancakes are usually much cheaper than traditional holiday foods. You can also make it even more special by garnishing it with fancy dishes.

14. Collect Christmas books for children And let your children read or watch books only during Advent (or only during the Christmas holidays).

15. Let the kids decorate it however they like. — They can be “in charge” of everything for a year. That means less work for you, more fun for them, and lots of great stories to be told in the future.

16. Look for ways to bless others. — Just like “elfing” the elderly in your neighborhood or church by sending them small gifts, notes, and cards throughout the season.

17. Send a handmade card Use scraps of craft materials you already have at home and include a simple 4″ x 6″ family snapshot (instead of an expensive holiday card). Have even more fun using this as a family craft activity.

18. Advent activity calendar! One person said their family uses a “plan as you go” calendar. Number a perforated envelope from 1 to 25 and hang it on a string, then write down the daily activities your family has time to do and place them in the envelope as you do them. It’s easy to handle and the kids love it too.

Remember, Christmas is not about doing anything. Keep it simple and have fun.

More inspiration:

• 7 frugal family Christmas traditions
• 5 ideas to simplify Christmas and save money
• How to give for Christmas when you don’t have enough money
• 145 Non-toy gift ideas
• How I bought Christmas presents on a $0 budget

What are your best budget-friendly Christmas ideas? We’d love to hear from you!

Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com