Tell me about your best skint Christmas's

[christmastips]

Absolutely not a begging post. We have some presents for the kids but this Christmas is our most depressing one yet.
Dp lost his job recently. We have had to make choices in the last few weeks as to what to do with our last ten pounds ie do we put petrol in so I can get to work or gas on the emergency.

We've been as frugal as we can but we don't get paid until the 27th and have 1.42 to get us til then. We have been to Aldi last week and stocked up on cheap bread, soup and long life milk. I made a big batch of crispy cakes with the kids last week and we are down to our last few days of freezer food we had cooked and frozen.

I know things will be fine on the 27th and that we don't need a lot. Our kids are too young to notice (5&3) but I feel so miserable not being able to just get basic goodies in and relax a bit.

Can anybody tell me the things they have valued the most when they have had Christmas's like this and if they made any fond memories despite the circumstances?

I've screenshotted my bank balance so that next year our Timehop will make us realise how lucky we are but I want to feel like that this year too.
Any tips on making the best of it with nothing?

Some of my childhood Christmases we must have been skint after my dad left but I only realised afterwards. At the time I was really happy doing lots of stuff together - cutting up old Christmas cards to make tags or decorations, making paper chains from scrap paper, refrigerator cake from crushed biscuits etc. Walks to the library and hot squash to warm up afterwards. Being allowed our duvets and pillows in the living room "as a treat". Popping round to a friend or neighbour for a cup of tea and a chat probably saved my DM's sanity and we liked the change of scene too.

And a few pounds to blow in the charity shop in January, when the stocks were excellent from recent donations!

Wishing you a healthy happy Christmas and good times through 2019

@MagicKeysToAsda thank you so much there are such lovely ideas there like popping to a friends for a cuppa or spending time making tags from Christmas cards. I took them to church today for the Christingle service so they had some oranges and sweeties and sat and had a cuppa and some juice afterwards and that took some strain off. We've had a lovely walk and watched a film this afternoon. I don't think they have any idea we are this skint I think it's me it's getting to, but it will all be over in a few days it's silly

The kids won’t notice as long as you have the house warm and have a few presents for them honestly.

My kids absolutely love it when ‘santa’ papers over the doorway to the room their presents are in so they have to jump through it. Do that if you have any leftover wrapping paper or wallpaper.

We had not much money at all when our eldest was little but relatives made up for it with their presents. Maybe yours are getting gifts from other people too? Do you have food for a nice meal on Christmas Day?

Our town has a FB page and a woman posted on there asking if anyone had the details of local food bank. Not only did she get those details the local rotary club went round to her home with toys and a huge hamper. People want to help, you can pay it forward one day when you are in a better position financially . I have known poverty and as such my family make a big hamper for our food bank every year.
When we were skint I valued going out to see the Christmas lights at night and trying to spot Santa in his sleigh.
If you go to church on Christmas day there are usually chocolates and tea/biscuits/carols for the kids.

Thanks guys, we're going back to church tomorrow after work and we've been invited to a friends house for Christmas Day so it could be an awful lot worse. It's just the hunger of not having much to eat and feeling like we're letting the kids down I think that's the worst. I think once the days out the way it will be much easier it just feels grim. We went round Asda a few days ago with £4 and bought some bread and long life milk and I felt so sad for the kids watching everybody else stocking up for Christmas.

Why don’t you plan something for New Year’s Eve instead? Not spending loads but a treat tea and maybe another pressie for the kids to open/play with on New Year’s Day? Lots of movies on the TV to sit and watch together.

Your time with them is priceless!! Dig the games out

They won't remember, it will be free of consumerism for a change!

You aren’t letting your kids down at all. They are 5&3 and need your love which you are giving them. Plus they are of an age where simple things make them happy. Collecting twigs will do - at least they are not teens “needing” the latest gadgets.

Oh and the consumerism at Christmas is absolutely disgusting. Be glad you are sparing them from that. My kids at that age had far, far too much stuff. It was accidental (large extended family) but still thoroughly appalling.

of you are hungry please tell someone at the chuch, they will help you.

Your dc will not remember presents, food etc. They’ll remember games, films, walks and cuddles on the sofas.

*if

We were poor when I was growing up. I remember one year my mum kept buying us random gifts in the weeks after Christmas to try and make it up to us as Christmas had been so disappointing. I had no idea what she was on about, I'd had a great time like every year. Kids don't realise what things cost, they'll have fun regardless.

Cbeebies has a new panto on the TV/iPlayer if you can access that. I used to love being allowed have a wash, get ready for bed then 'stay up' in my pyjamas and with my duvet/cuddly toys downstairs on the sofa.

My parents didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up. Stocking fillers was literally some fruit, nuts and maybe a little gift.

Me and my Sis had one main present each, other gifts were from other family and friends.

I used to love making paper chains out of recycled paper and cutting up old Christmas cards to make tree decorations.

My parents really did their best

Compared to current living this would all seem very little but actually they were the best Christmases ever.

I'm single now and don't celebrate Christmas. It's all too commercial, I would give anything to have that Christmas like we had 40 years ago

Can you get a referral for a food bank? You shouldn’t be hungry. Definitely tell someone at church.

I’m sure your kids will have a lovely Christmas but organise something nice for yourself and your dp for when you get paid.

Our church offers help in these situations. I have joined a 7 day rota to cooked meals on many an occasion. Can you ask someone at church if they can help.
We also make hampers of presents for families at christmas who are struggling. I will be thinking of you and Happy Christmas xx

I feel your pain, I have been trawling the charity shops since the beginning of November. My friend donated a load of clothes which I have wrapped as presents from me and DH. My dd is 9. She does not know where I have got the presents from or how much it has cost. I will not go into debt or stress out over the lack of money. We are having a chicken for Christmas dinner, part of the 3 for £10 deal at Morrisons. I will be spending my time with my dd. Never feel guilty for not spending loads of money. And try hard not to compare yourselves to others. It's not easy I know. I find it helps if I stay off FB for the next few days. xx Merry Christmas, and you sound like a lovely mummy btw xx

As others have said, the DC will not notice, just spend time with them doing things and or watching something like CBeebies as suggested while snuggled up.

Enjoy dinner at your friend’s and with the bread you have try something cutting out stars or trees to toast and decorate with dots of jam as a snack/breakfast.

Do you have something like a Nectar or Boots card with points? If so you could use those points.

And YY to telling someone at the church that you are struggling, they will want to help and you can pay it forward in the future.

When my DC's were little I was skint. I managed to get some lovely wooden toys from a charity shop, and I made stuff to go with it. I used to take them to the woods, and do crafts. Now they have their own children they realise I was skint, but fondly remember the great times we had. I hope you have a lovely Christmas

Make snowflakes and hang around the house. Make paper chains. Snuggle under a duvet with a Christmas film. Walk round and look a lights on houses (my dc write a card each to post through the letterbox of their favourites to thank them for making them smile.) McDonald’s reindeer ready website lets you capture a video of the reindeer eating carrots in your house to show dc on Christmas Day.