Free or very cheap ways to make Christmas magical for young dc

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

We have two young dc aged almost 5 and 3 are on a very limited budget for Christmas. I'm not so worried about presents as they havent and won't likely ask for anything specific. It is more the little extra things, for example, I have wanted new decorations for the last few years but can never afford them, can't really afford elf on the shelf etc..

I suppose little magical things I can do, activities we can do together out and about or at home etc. Not just for Christmas day/week but in the run up

As a child my parents had very little money and it always felt so magical but I can't remember any specifics!

Thanks

[Chocolatecake12]

One thing I did when my dcs were young was to cut out a large Christmas tree from cardboard, then decorate it with pictures from wrapping paper and old cards. It stayed on the kitchen door for ages and was admired by all!
I agree with pp that your children will remember the happiness didn’t with family not the gifts and all the trappings.

[elQuintoConyo]

I'll just add one thing i did when i was young and do with my 6yo now which he loves: turn off all lights except tree lights and lie under the tree, looking up.

I'm 42, nothing makes me feel more Christmasy.

[daisydalrymple]

If you can get an a3 white card, you can make a wreath 'painting' by getting the dcs to do hand prints in turn in the shape of a Christmas wreath.

Also make Christmas cards the same, by making a tree shape out of a green hand print, then finger prints in yellow / red for lights at the end of the branches.

[CotswoldStrife]

Second the suggestions to write to Santa via the Royal Mail (but it has to be early - pref in Nov or the first few days of December, it is so popular it has a very early closing date) and the garden centres - Dobbies decorate their stores and our local Wyvale Garden Centre has story time and other events free at the weekend. Garden Centres (or some large department stores) often do some kind of activity trail for free where you get a sheet and have to spot pictures. Even our local Tesco has done this for various events.

See if there is a local FB group with info for children's events.

Also, if you have any large shopping mall places they often have a big event when they turn their lights on in mid-November, and/or activity trails and crafting on certain days. Check the websites of any near you.

[hangingkebab]

I LOVE this thread.

We do a Light Safari - walk around looking at all the lights on houses and see if we can spot the Big Five: Santa, Reindeer, Snowman, Tree and Star. Then back home for hot chocolate.

As others have said, though, Elf on the Shelf can do one.

[maamalady]

Last year DH took DD1 (then two and a half) on the back of his bike round the village in the dark to look at all the Christmas lights on people's houses. She thought it was amazing and we are pretty sure it will become an annual tradition. This year I will have to attempt cycling with a seat on my bike so we can take DD2 out too (too little last year).

[tangerino]

Treasure hunt with Christmassy clues.

[lostlalaloopsy]

I love Christmas and have many traditions - most are free or cost little! It is such a special family time. I'll put a few ideas down that we do.

Collect pine cones to decorate and spend a day making lots of decorations - salt dough is great for this. I keep all glass jars from about now, we paint them, stick in a battery Tea light and use them as decorations. Then on Christmas Eve we put them on the driveway so Santa has a landing strip.

Driving round to look at decorations, there is a whole street near us that is amazing!

Christmas books from library

Christmas movie and decorating tree day

Christmas baking with lots of cheesy tunes, we tried to make a gingerbread house last year - trickier than it looks!!

Local town Christmas light switch on

Local Santa's grotto, I help to organise one and we keep costs really low as know money is tight at Christmas

Local amateur pantomime - it's much cheaper than theatre production

[oobedobe]

I think part of the magic of Christmas for kids is the traditions, doing the same things every-year, once they get to 6/7 yo they really start to look forward to certain things and anticipate what makes your 'family Christmas' special.

Wonderful ideas on here already but don't feel you have to be some all singing/dancing Christmas spirit.

Here are somethings that are part of our family Christmas every year:

Making a gingerbread house/cookies
Chocolate log for Christmas day
All going to choose a tree together at the nice/festive garden centre
Having a reusuable advent calendar that comes out every year
Reusable santa sacks
Making paper snowflakes to decorate the windows
Going to the mall to look at the big tree/decorations
Walking/driving around the neighbourhood to see decorations
Watching Christmas movies/reading christmas books
Making hot chocolate with marshmallows
Playing lots of games
Playing in the snow/sledding (if we have snow!)

We usually have one biggish activity (family outing) but everything else is pretty simple and low-key.

[ItStartedWithAKiss241]

One year when my children were about 4 or 5 we made shortbread, and put chocolate and green and red sprinkles to make it xmassy then took it to some elderly neighbours we had never met before and introduced ourselves and gave them the gift. Bit embarrassing for me but totally worth it as the kids still talk about it years later. The lovely lady gave the children a pound each and talked to them about what they were hoping for from Santa. X

[Argeles]

All of these lovely ideas have made me feel incredibly nostalgic!

There are so many suggestions I’ve read here that my parents used to do for me, as well as others that are new to me - you’ve definitely inspired me.

One thing that I don’t think I saw mentioned, is that my Dad would lay down under our decorated Christmas tree and ask me to lie down next to him. He would then tell me that Christmas is magical, and that there are fairies who live in every Christmas tree. He would say that if we’re quiet enough we may hear them, and that if we look carefully enough, we may even see one. I used to look forward to that every Christmas, and you can do it as often as you like throughout Christmas, depending on how well your children engage with the idea.

My Mum used to buy some inexpensive little boxes, and sometimes she’d re-use existing boxes. We would then decorate these (cover with Christmas paper, and often add a pine cone we’d collected, and a homemade name tag). You can kind of wrap the box, or do a découpage or collage type technique, which is easier to be neater, and easier for younger ones to be able to do more of it themselves. We’d leave these for about a day to dry out, then we’d add some tissue paper inside, then make some chocolate truffles or little shortbread biscuits and put these in the boxes and give as gifts.

The things I remember most fondly about Christmas, are being with my family. The smells of Christmas food, and all the colours and lights will also always be magical to me.

Your decorations will be loved by your children, regardless of what you think of them. I used to adore my Nan and Grandad’s multicoloured lantern lights and decorations from the 50’s and 60’s in the 80’s and 90’s! And my other Nan’s white Christmas tree with her equally vintage decorations.

You could easily update some of your decorations with the help of your children, as other posters have suggested, if you feel able to. Collect pine cones and add glitter if you like, then tie to the tree with a ribbon. You could also look at ways to add a new lease of life to your baubles (maybe spray paint with a different colour, add some glitter, or add a vibrant colour ribbon to attach to the tree).

Have a magical Christmas 🎄

[BiddyPop]

I definitely echo Annadale not to try to do it all. You need a few things to keep DCs busy, a few for magic, and a few emergencies up your sleeve. But pick things that will work for YOU and YOUR FAMILY! I haven't done everything on my list at all, let alone all in 1 year - I planned enough to have some and some backups, but real life, work and school events, shopping, Christmas preparations etc all take time as well- and the DCs get burnt out if you try to do too much (and they have a real let down after Christmas if it's been a frenzy of excitement beforehand).

So you want enough to keep them busy and to enjoy and get some magic, but not so that Christmas Day itself is a let down or that they are too shattered to enjoy it all.

[annandale]

Can I just say that making paper chains out of kids' artwork is genius

And also would just say don't pressure yourself too much, nobody does all of this!

[Butterymuffin]

Fab suggestions. I was going to say what Peter did about making an activity advent calendar with one thing in per day. You can tailor it around anything happening locally eg go to Lions Santa tour on the day that's on.

[YouMaySayImADreamer]

Wow! I really wasn't expecting so many replies, thank you everyone so much, appreciate every single idea and everyone who has taken the time to reply! Apologies that I am just replying after a hectic day.

I am going to read through and make a (massive!) list and go from there!

[biscuitmillionaire]

Get popping corn from the supermarket (about 1 quid) and put a little oil in a saucepan with lid, cover the base of the pan with corn and cook until all popped. Then get big needle and piece of wool or string and thread it through the pieces of corn, to string on the tree. It looks pretty, and fun to make.

[Blankiefan]

Disney Life do trial periods - usually 7 days but I got a month free with my tesco mobile account. Even with a free week, you could still cost up under a blanket for movie nights.

[notthe1Parrot]

If you have a Garden Centre near you, check if they do free Santa sessions - ours does on one or two weekends running up to Christmas Day.

[Foxglovesandsweetpeas]

Where we are there are quite a few phone box libraries where you can take free books (and leave your old books if you have any). You could get childrens' books from there and make an advent library for them with a new book for each day in the 24 days up to xmas with each book wrapped in xmas paper. I know our local phone box library often has too many books so they are always happy for people to take lots. If you google phone box libraries you can find a map showing you where they are located throughout the country. I often take a few books and leave a few books as it's such a great idea.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Mine are teens now (and all the grrrr that goes with it , nearly 18 and 15.6)
When they were little (and impressionable) ..

Get old jam jars, line then either side of the path or garden with lighted tealights to make a FlightPath for the reindeer

Cover the living room door with wrapping paper (big sheets of leftover taped together) for them to burst through

Put some lights on a timer and Father Christmas will switch them on to show when he's been (borrow a timer switch is you haven't got one) We used to put our old fibre optic tree in the hall set for 6.30am. They weren't allowed up before then

Stockings - we used to put DS on a campbed in DD room so they woke up together and tried to be oh-so-quiet with their stockings

Feed ducks/geese/reindeer. Get muddy (Wellies and gloves are a must) then a hot bath and hot chocolate.

One year we made sandwiches for DS and told him Action Man had sent them for his lunch on Christmas Eve . Action Man cut more ice than Father Christmas

NORAD to track his progress online.

I made an Elf in a bed, tired after making toys and sleeping until FC picked him up ( old toy, face drawn on a muslin cloth/hanky in pen) little cardboard box bed, put him in the playhouse for DS and I to peep at with a candle lamp. (He had to be gone the next day though)

Can I just give a warning about Magic Reindeer Food? Its meant to glisten in the snow (ha!) and give them magical floaty energy.
I made some with coloured sugar (sugar shaken in a bag with a drop of food colour) oats and Edible glitter (NOT craft glitter , it will kill birds).
It sat like a splodge of vomit on the lawn for days till I cleared it.

Al these ^ cost pence,

[Bornfreebutinbiscuits]

and fairy lights!

[Bornfreebutinbiscuits]

I always feel stuff hanging from ceiling makes it feel very different and magical, wilko have great stuff to hang or make some large white snowflakes? wilko have great sale too - can get loads of decs for under a pounds...

i think that makes huge difference its so out of the ordinary, and then smell, orange candles or pine scent...

[Imfinehowareyou]

Apologies if it has already been suggested but the royal mail do a letter from Santa. Will just cost you the stamp but he will write back for free.

[G1raffe]

I love this thread! We need to cut back this Xmas but I'm already excited by these ideas :)

[tistheseason2bjolly]

Make paper snowflakes to stick on the windows