Is anyone else struggling to find the cheer this year?

[PositivelyFooked]

DD is at the age where this year she’ll understand a bit more about Christmas and is more aware of her surrounding so the Christmassy atmosphere should be lovely for her.

Me and DP were talking about how excited we are to see her taking in the Christmas period this year. It got us talking about our Christmases as children, they were probably my most wonderful memories. We would decorate the house together, see family we haven’t seen in a long time, as young children we were fascinated by the idea of Father Christmas bringing us this sack of presents to open, always covered in glitter all over the floor leaving a trail to the chimney, one year Father Christmas left a ripped piece of his trousers on our fireplace, snowy footsteps around the house.. my mum would get the ‘nice food’ in from the shops, the stuff that we don’t buy often, boxes of chocolate and nice crisps, cheese, drinks and snacks. Dad would take us to pick a real Christmas tree and we would come home and decorate it.

As we were talking about our family traditions, the nice things we did that made our Christmases so magical it started to dawn on me that these are things I just can’t afford. We both work full time and we can probably save for it for next year. But we’ve sold and brought a bigger house this year that we’ll be moving too early next year and the costs involved took us slightly by surprise as we were fist time buyers the first time.. so we didn’t anticipate how much much it costs to buy and sell a second time around, as well as some other events that have meant we’ve had to use our savings this year. I thought going back to work full time after maternity would mean we could afford some nicer things but it’s just been swallowed away on childcare and bills and I feel like we haven’t really been any better off.

DD is going to have a magical year regardless, she won’t notice the things I will; but I can’t help but feel sad that when we were planning a family I was so excited to pass down Christmas traditions and make them just as magical for her, albeit they still will be.. I’ll know that they’re not the same as what I experienced as a child.
Present wise I’ve gone for things that are fun and also practical as well as a few toys - Some dinosaur bedding ready for her new room in the new house, clothes as she’s starting to outgrows hers, shoes for the same reason, a few books and some arts and crafts.

It sounds so materialistic so I didn’t want to bring it up to DP that I felt that way so I need to have a little moan here. I just can’t feel Christmassy this year

If anyone has any suggestions of things I can do with a 2 year old over the Christmas period on a serious budget please give me ideas!

So far I’m planning to add some baking bits to my shopping list so we can make cookies and decorate them over the Christmas holidays, if like to take her to a Santa’s grotto but I’m yet to look into this and the costs of it - which is a shame because our local town are no longer doing a light switch on and there has always been a Santa’s grotto there that was inexpensive. It seems now they’re all these big events that comes with lots of activities that just bump the price up! I don’t hold have also liked to make her an advent calendar but I’m stuck for ideas on what to put in it other than chocolate coins 😂 might have to scratch that idea and go with a peppa pig chocolate one instead..

If anyone else is in the same feeling a bit hard done by for no reason please make me feel like I’m not alone! 🙈

PNP do free videos, it costs nothing to go and see Christmas lights, even if there's a few houses you spot that are all done up it will be magical for her to see. Any Carol singers outside nearby churches or in town, local shopping centres also have decorations up. Check local library and museums to see if they are running any Christmas events, they often have storytelling or crafty things on for a pound or two.

It will still be magical, you just feel like it isn't because you're the magic maker this year so have to put the legwork in, I think most of us feel it isn't as magical as an adult because we are 'behind the scenes' now.

Have a look on your local Facebook pages to find who goes all out with outdoor lights. We took our 2 year old to see the most amazing ones last year (, Kent/ London borders) and it was a highlight and totally free. Also did a really sweet craft activities, collecting leaves, pine cones and berries and gluing on a cardboard "wreath". That went down a treat, so we'll do that again this year. You could also do something similar with chopped up quality street wrappers.

He loves hot chocolate so will do a hot chocolate "bar" one afternoon. We've also booked a Christmas story session at a local farm that wasn't too expensive instead of a grotto. Last year we got a set of christmas books from the world's - 10 books for £10 - got another set this year and that basically makes it into an advent calendar with a book to read each night. You could alternate a book with chocolate coins. We packed them away with the Christmas decorations so they'll feel new this year and hope to make it last a few years.

I got a few window stickers from poundland so on one day that can be his activity. Another day I'll print some Christmas colouring sheets. Will pit some lights in his teepee one evening and do Christmas cards in there. Basically there will be a cheap or free Christmas activity every day of December. One thing I'm going to introduce this year is a "Christmas kindness" where we will pay for the next person in lines coffee or something- still figuring out how he can feel like he's done the kind thing!

You could do salt dough ornaments or handprints? I tried last year and totally messed them up, so will do another attempt this year!

The works not world!

Trip to a garden centre. Early evening walk locally to see other people's lights, then back for hot chocolate. This was my DCs favourite activity. We also used to save the previous years cards and cut them up to make paper chains. Forage in the garden or woods for stuff to make a wreath and/or table decoration. Christmas doesn't have to be expensive.

Please be kind to yourself. The things you remember are things from when you were an older child, not 2. I realised when my son was that age that I was doing the same thing, but actually, adding traditions in year by year is the way to do it. Does your local garden centre have a Christmas display you can go and visit? Do any local teams/charities do a Santa - we have one who drives around the estates one evening in December. Sometimes they're run by the fire service I think. Look out for council or charity Christmas fayres, or even some schools do them with a santa visit included. A drive round looking at lights is magical. Visiting a shop and choosing a bauble (even if it's just Wilkos). Handprint Christmas trees with green paint and stickers on. Gingerbread scented playdough. Christmas music on, a couple of Christmassy headbands and a disco in the living room.

I'm sure your daughter will have a fabulous Christmas :)

It sounds like your dd is the same age as dgs so the things we are doing with dgs (already started because he is so excited by Christmas already) We made snowman biscuits, he enjoyed rolling the dough, using the cutter, spreading the icing and putting raisin eyes and buttons on. This week we are making christmas tree biscuits, same recipe, different cutter, green icing and smarties for baubles) He's started his christmas cards, black card white paint that he splodges everywhere, googly eyes, felt carrot hat and scarves that he sticks where he chooses and you have a melted snowman. He's made wrapping paper, roll of lining paper, sponge stars, trees and bells and he's dipped them in paint and onto the paper. Will wrap small gifts he will hand over after tying with a red ribbon. I've saved a big cardboard box, will cut out a big Christmas tree that he will paint green and then another day he can go mad with the paint and glue and glitter and decorate circles for baubles that he can stick on the tree that will go on the wall in the hall. Ive save loo rolls, with paint glue and a bit of imagination I will help him make angel, Santa, reindeer.
We will go a walk to look at the lights that I as his Granny find tacky but he will think magical . He's seen the decorations on display in the Range and chosen tinsel and a bauble. He will have his own little tree to decorate or you could grab a branch and paint it white add glitter, secure in a pot and let your child decorate.
We will go out with a flask of hot chocolate and some cookies and look at frost patterns or even snow if we are lucky, we will look for robins, I will read him christmas stories and let him play with the nativity set his mama once did. None of it will cost much money but he will love it regardless.

She’s not going to remember anything about this Christmas when she’s an adult. And I’m fairly sure if you and your DH spoke to your parents, they’ll admit that they struggled some years, and yet neither of you noticed.

Also, more importantly, none of your best memories involve money. You’re talking about spending time doing things with your family, and your parents doing little things to make you believe that Father Christmas snagged his trousers on your fireplace. None of your best memories involve panto or going to see lights being switched on, or meeting Father Christmas. And yet you have these magical memories. And it will be the same for your DD, because you’ll do the same things with her as your parents did with you.

And if you feel like you need to do more, then make snowflake decorations with her. Take her out to the woods to cut some holly for the table. Make fatballs for the birds and take her out to hang them. If you haven’t got red fabric, leave a button on the floor and tell her it has come from Santa. This stuff is what makes it magical, not £90 pooping unicorns.

Thanks all, you’re right that my best memories don’t actually involve the things that cost money. It was definitely kept the atmosphere. I think I’m just associating these things with money (it seems nothing is free!) - lots of ideas here to write down and do with DD that sound really lovely!