What special things do you do around Christmas time that don’t cost a penny?

[LaChienneDesFromages]

I have always loved Christmas but increasingly hate the commercialised side of Christmas and a rare visit to The Big Sainsbury’s yesterday with shelves piled high with goodies (i.e tat) left me feeling a bit deflated and cynical. I don’t want Christmas to feel like just another way of making someone richer (and someone else poorer.)

Please cheer me up with reminders of the lovely things people do around Christmas time that are free and don’t necessarily fill the pockets of big stores.

Here are some of ours’:

Attending the Nine Lessons and Carols at our local church this Sunday (double win- free mince pie and mulled wine!)

A winter solstice celebration with friends. Complete with Yule log, bonfire and very tongue in cheek talent show (everyone brings a dish)

Carols around the tree in our local town and a torchlight procession- my community choir are leading the singing.

DD is a Young Quaker- so attending Meeting with her on Christmas Eve. I don’t go with her often enough but an hour of silent contemplation is a rare treat.

I’m sorting through the board games and have done a jigsaw puzzle swap with a friend. And I’m hoping the kids will agree to It’s A Wonderful Life as our Christmas Eve film in front of the fire (Although Nightmare Before Christmas has been mentioned)

We wrap up on Christmas Morning and go for a walk, this year will be up the local Beacon Hill. I'll take a rucksack of Christmas snacks and thermal mugs of hot chocolate.

Photos on the top, and then down and heading for a late lunch.

We also do the local Christmas market, carol concert, we make and hand paint marzipan fruits with food colouring.

@JoyeuxNarwhal it started in covid but it was so lovely it stuck! It's on a weeknight so doesn't clash with carols by candlelight services, and it draws people who wouldn't be seen dead in a church! My teenagers love it. Nice to think you might start the tradition somewhere else!

It's the best night to see the Geminid meteor shower tonight. Although we are in the SE the immediate area has few houses or streetlights so I'm hoping for a clear night🌟https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67658650

Church services/ the village carol singing on the beach

Going to see the streets with the best Christmas lights

Cuddling the dog and reading a Christmas book/watching a Christmas film

Playing Christmas themed versions of games like hangman/heads bodies and legs etc

Getting out all the old decorations we use year after year

Making snowflakes out of paper

When DC were small we used to drive around to look at the lights on decorated houses - charity collections at some.
We went to a Carol concert in the town Square yesterday it was live on local radio - free but collection buckets for the Street Pastors service (which helps people stay safe in the night-time economy in the town centre).
Local walking group walk at the weekend with mince pies and mulled wine social afterwards. £1 donation pp.

Not free but very cheap - slice an orange very thinly. Stud slices with cloves and dry out in oven/on radiator. Then I keep a bag of it on radiators and the house smells lovely whenever the heating is on.

Carol service with mince pies and hot drink, free but there is a retiring collection for charity which most folk here stick a note or two on the tray.

Sounds like something off a cheesy channel 5 film. A winter solstice celebration with a talent show?! I think I'm from another planet. Seriously 😧

Can I just grumpily point out that a lot of these free activities rely on a significant amount of volunteer time, and organisations like the Lions or churches can only do lovely Christmas things if the organisation keeps going year round, so do consider giving your support to local groups whenever you're able in whatever way you can. It will be appreciated and the whole community will be better for it.

Midnight mass/eucharist - staying up late is a treat for upper primary/young teens and they then sleep in!

Walking, extra points for snow or frost of course.

Local proper market to fetch vegetables on Christmas Eve, not posh ones.

Watching Salvation Army band at above

Touring Christmas lights

Christingle/9 lessons this coming weekend.

Carols in the pub (not free but just buy a drink, lime and soda is £1

Drive round and look at local Christmas lights, church has a Christmas tree festival and watch Christmas light switch in local town centre. Carol service in church. Make a wreath for the front door out of greenery from my garden.

I love this thread.

We just make everything from scratch. Homemade jam from scrumped plums. Homemade pastry and the above jam for Jan tarts. Candied nuts, pigs in blankets (with gf sausages for me? Home made hot chocolate with dark chocolate and cream melted together for the base.

Getting out all the christmassy toys to add to the decorations. We have a massive felted robin who comes out each year.

Home made snowflake decorations. The kids make our own wrapping paper using a roll of lining paper and felt tips. Home made 3d star for the tree made from old cardboard.

Boxing day walk on the beach is a tradition we have kept for the past 20 years. DC now plan their visits home to make sure they are here for it ( including taking time off work as 26th isn't a holiday here)

Baking something together can be fun - star biscuits etc

We used to put on a play for our family and elderly neighbours every year at Christmas when we were children. I am sure they were terrible but we enjoyed planning /rehearsing and the neighbours kept coming

Christmas lights switch on in nearby village (probably too late for this year!)

Make peppermint creams (icing sugar, bit of water, bit of peppermint essence).

Make paper snowflakes

Decorate a Yule log (cheap Ms Molly's chocolate swiss roll from Tesco plus chocolate butter icing and icing sugar snow and the same set of plastic decorations each year)

Walk around the village to look at the Christmas lights

Bake cookies for Santa

Christingle service at church

Carol Service at church

Crib service at church on Christmas Eve

We try to go to a big traditional church/cathedral or sometimes even a royal chapel for some of Christmas services and also admire the cribs whilst there, some are nicely decorated.

Watch ice skating even if not taking part.

A few times a week we walk round the neighbourhood counting Christmas trees, also do this on Xmas eve, great for winding down and getting some fresh air. Take different routes and try to beat the previous walk 'score'.

We make Xmas oranges, stud them with cloves and tie with ribbon and cinnamon sticks. The house smells great.

Making paper chains.

Watch The Snowman and Home Alone every year.

Invite friends over to play board games, eat, drink and be merry.

Doesn't cost much.

Board games nights are the best!
Some of my favourite evenings with friends have been in fraught concentration or hysterical laughter over a board game.
My parents used to do the same- canneloni, Viennetta, Tia Maria and a round or two of Trivial Pursuit or Scruples (mum didn’t speak to her sister in law for two months after a particularly heated session!)

At night, we drive the kids around the area so they can look at all the Christmas decorations people have put up, some people go to so much effort. We also have film nights with popcorn, we’ve watched the grinch 4 times this year because they won’t watch anything else.

We play a family game recycling stuff. Great fun for a big get together. Rules:
Everyone brings one item they don’t want or need.
Must be something that someone else is likely to want.
Wrap it and put in pile.
In a circle throw a dice in turns. A Six means you either open something or take something already opened by someone else.
Once all items are opened go round 3 more times.
In this way we recycle random and duplicate clutter. Gift sets, candles, perfume, ornaments, fitness equipment, a bike puncture set, a cocktail shaker. Set of mugs. Whatever. Just clutter.
Last rule. You must take your winnings home!
I think last year we got rid of a yoga mat and picture frame and gained a desk toy and first aid kit! Mostly people are able to get stuff they can actually use because of all the swapping.

Love this thread!

We make gingerbread men

Watch The Grinch (animated version with Benedict Cumberbatch) and Edward Scissorhands (Underrated Christmas movie)

Board games with the grandparents

Putting holly in vases

Just wrapping presents while listening to George Michael and drinking cava makes me feel all magical.

This year I am doing Christmas stockings for MIL and FIL - just little things from charity shops. Can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning! It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

In Dec 2020 when we were all locked down, our street WhatsApp group agreed to all go and stand in the road at the same time and sing carols, socially distracted. That's one of my best ever Christmas memories!

Fire in the garden, toasting marshmallows on the fire pit on New years eve. So cozy. Sometimes we write down the bad things that have happened to us that year, and burn them in the fire.

Walks in woods collecting Holly, Ivy etc for a wreath or just in a vase feels Christmasy.