Really want to book Christmas things but don't want to blow it

[tellmehonest]

I have had a fugal summer, unfortunately paying off debt on my credit card. We didn't do any paid activities, so it was all parks, walks, no lunches out , no icecreams ( although a friend did buy us one) and no snacks out. I have two DC one school age, one toddler. I only spent £6.50 in total on bus/ train, mainly tried to avoid this and park and walk or just walk everywhere 😂 🙌 No holiday, but it was a bit flat and no I really want to make Christmas special. It's having something to look forward to. Christmas Day will be low key and minimal, no idea on the present find either 😬I just don't want to get in the same situation again, I need to stop myself spending. Been wanting to do Lapland Uk for past few years and also a train ride as my DS adores trains. Just these things are so pricey.

I can't increase work hours as doesn't balance with childcare costs. DP working as much as possible, still some effects of Covid in his industry, he's self employed.

How do I stop myself splurging and then ending up in a cycle of debt again? I need to find free Christmas stuff, does this exist ?

I too am so impressed with your frugal summer- you’re a brillant woman getting yourself out of debt.

Please do NOT worry about all those expensive Xmas things. All your Dc will remember will be the lights, the cosyness amd little traditions you make yourself. We had zero money when my dds were young but they remember so fondly the little very cheap traditions we had.
We had the same Christmas story which dh read every Xmas Eve, we’d make a special trip one Friday night to the nearest city to see the Xmas lights, they used to get so excited about this as they were staying up late (about 8.30), we’d make home made decorations, buy a cheap kit from somewhere like pound land, and the only “big” expense were new PJs which they used to find under their pillow on Xmas eve.

You can have magical xmases on very little money.

My kids are 19 and 10 and have never "been to see Santa". They don't feel like they've missed out. They know the one in shopping centres isn't the real Santa

Re: trains - this link should take you to bog-standard normal trains that take extraordinarily beautiful routes: www.scenicrailbritain.com/

The Christmas things I remember loving as a child were the family reading Christmas ghost stories under the tree in the gloom with the Christmas lights. Making chocolate topped marshmallows. Building our own nativity out of plasticine, pipe cleaners and a cardboard box and making stained glass windows with coloured paper. One year my mum bought a giant blow up crocodile in the Woolies Christmas sale and we took it to the swimming pool on Christmas eve and had a blast. (She worked there so they didn't throw us out!).

Oh, and am dram panto. Usually terrible, but all the more fun for that.

Love the stained glass window idea!

Op. The pound shop/99p shop is your friend. You can get packs of 5 or 10 make your own christmas cards, the kids could do these for family. You can usually get small boxes of christmas cards (25-30 in them). School age child can give these out in class.
They usually do some excellent books in there. If you wait til Halloween is done they might have flying reindeer or father christmases (they are like gliders. You colour or paint them, put them together & I promise you the kids will love them. Kids Christmas paper plates. One pair kids scissors cut round on back of plate will make twirly decorations. You can probably get plain Christmas baubles maybe with glitter in and the kids give these to granny & grandpa wiyh a photo of them in. Paper chains, stick them together. All sorts of stuff in there and the works. I think I might have some cardboard christmas puzzles somewhere. You colour them in. I used to be a childminder so Don't know what if anything I have packed away but PM me if you want me to have a look.

Walk around your neighbourhood looking at Christmas lights and then go home and have hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie.
Your DC school will do activities such as Christmas lunch/party etc.
Check out local garden Centre.
Do you or would you go to church and see what activities they have?
If it was me I’d make a budget of what I can afford and then find activities within that amount. I’d ditch all presents apart from immediate family and start buying Christmas food each week.

I would ask some others if they would be prepared to gift a ticket instead of a present. Children generally get too much anyway, and experiences and memories last a life time.

Christmas walk to see villages and roads that are well decorated
If you are close to London - Oxford St looks incredible

Christmas carols and hot chocolate

Make up reindeer food with glitter and oats ready to sprinkle in the garden

A christmas party with your child's friends and everyone brings a dish. You can serve very cheap but delicious homemade mulled wine.
Christmas music on, make it after dark to increase the magic factor. This one of the cheapest and most lovely memories I have of christmas with young children. We did it every year and the parents loved it as much as the children.

Invest in a snow machine for christmas morning. It can be used year after year and was the very best 50.00 I have ever spent on Amazon. You can create your own snowy dreamland outside.

Salvation army in the town is one of the most beautiful sounds of christmas, your child can make a small donation to something incredibly important.

Decorate the car, believe me the children love this!

Well done you for working on your debt.

I think Christmas is one of the easier times of year to get into the spirit of it without spending much money. I would dedicate the budget you would spend on a single ‘splurge’ to little things like crafts and small activities that will keep you going through the entire festive period.

We went on a santa special steam train ride the other year - it was nice enough but far from the best Christmas experience we have had. If you’re on a budget I wouldn’t recommend it as a splurge.

My DC love the school fete - easy to be pestered into spending quite a lot but if you give them a few £ each they can decide how to spend it. They usually have a Santa’s grotto for £1.

Touring local Christmas lights is nice. Top of a double decker bus through a town/city with good lights is fun.

Crafts and homemade decorations are great for getting in the festive mood.

We always do a treasure hunt at the start of advent for the DC to follow the clues to find their advent calendars.

Keep a look out for things like carol singing and local events. Parks, rotary clubs, libraries often do free activities and events. In our area there’s an annual Christmas parade where we all walk through town with lanterns and sing carols. Santa always puts in a (free) appearance.

If you’re on a budget, the risk with splurging on one big thing is if something doesn’t go to plan, kids are having an off day or it’s just not as good as you were expecting, then you feel very let down.

My advice is to put your Christmas money that you have budgeted for in an envelope or ziplock bag and then you can treat yourselves a little without going crazy. Try to save a little every month for Christmas and summer. Then you can have a little fun without feeling guilty. Even if it's only 5 or 10 pounds a month.

I’d recommend a Christmas craft night with friends. Every family brings a craft with enough supplies for each child and you each take a turn showing everyone how to make each craft.
Go for a woodland walk and collect things to make a wreath eg pine cones, greenery, holly, moss etc.

When I was a kid and we didn't have much money, my favourite thing was getting a Christmas Crafts/bakes type book from the library and making some things out of there. Put on a bit of Christmas music, all sorted.

Also, carol services, depending on where you live, could you get to a Cathedral for one.
Plan a movie day eg Home Alone with nice treats.

Love this thread, so many great ideas!

I really want to reign it in this year. I feel like I was so excited to be out of lockdown that I went a bit ott during the summer and really guilty that I learnt nothing from the simplicity of last year.

So I'll be watching this thread closely!

My kids loved the year to drove into London one evening to look at the lights. We also spent ages in Hamley's, but only gave the kids £5 each to spend. They loved it!

Op you need to be saving toward Xmas even if it's 2£ a week!

Can you invest in a membership like natinal trust? Depending on where you are, their houses are usually dressed for Xmas.. And sometimes they have some Xmas activities. Not amazing however.. It just means you can visit a few and do nice walks over Xmas.

Or ask for the membership for Xmas from someone. Where about are you?

But when in debt.. Save small increments towards it...

And again for bday and other stuff.

HawksAreRed I used to go to Hamleys when I was a DC and I took my own DC a few times around Christmas time. I used to do the £5 thing too and we used to love looking at the window displays.

@orinocosfavoritecake

Oh, and am dram panto. Usually terrible, but all the more fun for that.

Good suggestion, ours is usually about £10/12 per person but it's actually really good & DD doesn't care it isn't the big fancy one in town with an ex corrie actor