Frugal Christmas thread

[ThisisCollie2022]

Anyone up for a frugal Christmas thread?

Homemade crafts, gifts, decorations, gift ideas and frugal festive food etc

Also ideas on how to keep the children busy would be great!

I know it's August but the best frugal tip is to be prepared so am thinking ahead now :)

Yes! I was thinking about this earlier. Me and DH used to make jewellery many moons ago and I was thinking we should start doing it again and making them as gifts.
Am going to try really hard not to go crazy on presents as I always get too much. Same with food!
We have national trust membership so will do lots of Christmas days out as they always decorate the houses so beautifully and there are usually trails for the kids to do.

Following.

Ooh yes!

We are hosting this year as second dc will be a couple of months old, but sharing the cooking / food responsibilities.

Parents will be tasked with certain items, so will DB.
I'm keeping an eye now on Clubcard prices for things that will last like cheese biscuits, chocs and the other picky luxuries!

Will prob do gammon instead of a traditional ham as it's so much cheaper.
Nobody here likes turkey so we won't bother with that but have a lovely sage and onion chicken instead I think! Not everyone's cup of tea but it'll do for us!!

Following - in desperate need of frugal day out ideas - just looked into a local small railway ride to see Santa - the whole thing only takes approximately an hour and it would be over £100 for 4 of us!

In terms of presents I’ve started really early to get the all the gifts I need for the DC and other children I buy for before the energy bills go up again - the bargain threads here have been invaluable so far

Last year I wrote down what was good and what was bad. I actually noted that we spent £30 on tubs of chocolate!! So I won't be doing that this year 😳

We have a holly bush in the garden so I plan on using this for homemade decorations.

We also have NT so we'll be making sure of prebooking the light shows etc. And having walks and a flask of hot chocolate or tea.

Love homemade jewellery! I used to make it too!!

I've started adding festive food to my weekly shop. Today I picked up Christmas chestnut stuffing at Sainsburys. The use by is 2023 so ideal.

Just had a look at my crafty box and have wooden scrabble style letters, mini tartan ribbons and red felt so I think I can make some decorations :)

Oh fantastic- watching with interest.
Hoping to make ora

Haha - idiot - hoping to make dehydrated orange decs this year. Beautiful!

Oh yes, home made cards! DD has millions of craft things including wooden letter tiles, so will definitely get crafting with her. Will only send cards to a select few though as the stamps are too expensive!

I was already thinking I won't be buying chocolates and biscuits etc this year. I still have some in the cupboard from last year! (which i should probably throw out now i think of it!) That sort of stuff just doesn't get eaten in my house but I always buy it thinking I should! Food wise I think I will just get the Christmas Dinner (which is popular here) and leave it at that. Will just be reusing the decorations etc that we already have. I will need to try and persuade some relatives that we should maybe forgo gifts this year!

Heres my frugal bucket list

Watch your Christmas TV special (mine is Gavin and Stacey)
Watch The Snowman
Watch Snowman and the snowdog
Make a tree decoration
Decorate house and tree
Decorate bedrooms
Bake Christmas cookies
Watch Elf
Watch Father Christmas (the 90s version)
Night time stroll to enjoy local lights
Night time drive around local lights
Winter walk with mince pies & a flask
Watch Love Actually & Bridget Jones
Soak up the late night shopping atmosphere (even if nothing is bought)
Make a Christmas playlist for you
Make a Christmas playlist for the kids
Eggnog cocktails
Listen to Carols at Kings
Celebrate Winter Solstice by candlelight
Collect sticks to make star decorations
Sing Christmas Carols with children
Visit local Christmas markets
Visit local cathedral
Book National Trust light shows
Visit National Trust / EH Home
Make a wreath for the door
Collect holly for decorations
Bake orange slices for Xmas scent
Make a Gingerbread House
Make paperchains for bedrooms
Make some Christmas cards (children)
Visit Father Christmas
Glitzy homemade Christmas cocktails
Beer / Cider by Pub Fire
Write to Father Christmas
Make an Elf door for skirting board (card/paper/lego)
Bake Christmas Cake
Make paper snowflakes and hang up
Make Christmas tree scotch pancakes / sandwiches from cookie cutter
Make your own snow globe
Make peppermint creams
Collect pine cones from walks & decorate
Buy red & green sweets for Xmas sweet jar
Make card Village scene for battery candles to light up
Christmassy nails
Christmas tree buffet cheese platter
Bake Christmas rocky Road
Bake a ginger cake
Boxing Day family walk with flask
Drive somewhere scenic for soup picnic!
Family board games and Christmas music

Christmas stories
Jesus's Party (funny book)
Twas the night before Christmas
Mogs Christmas Calamity
The Jolly Postman (really good book!)
Alfies Christmas
Stickman
Kippers Christmas
Mr Men / Little Miss Christmas stories
The Snowman

@ThisisCollie2022 what an absolutely amazing list! I’ll definitely be stealing some of those ideas

Homemade popcorn for all the Christmas films. Snuggle with a duvet with the children.

Cinnamon and sugar to make it tasty!

Findus at Christmas is a lovely Christmas story, it's a children's book but I still enjoy it myself 😛

We are definitely being more mindful this year!

Kids are limited to approx £50 each. DH and I limit each other anyway (about £20-30), usually for things we really want (for me, that's books, nice PJs,etc)

Only buying for close family.

Food will be a treat but limiting waste (I grew up with excessive food and drink in our family!) So some nice bits such as cheese, smoked salmon, meat from our butchers. Couple of nice soft drinks (J2O, Appetiser, Shloer as DH doesn't drink and I rarely do). Just having what we need, plus a few extras like a tub of chocolate and a box of mince pies (not buying loads and eating them constantly)

DH and I have got clothes somewhere in the wardrobe to dress up, I'll look at jumpers for DCs on Vinted.

Tree and decorations are reused every year so no need to buy new as still immaculate.

I'm going to attempt making salt dough decorations with the kids to give to teachers, grandparents, and so on.

I'll think of more!

If you like things like peanuts, get them early as they are cheaper (and you often get more in a packet) if they aren't in the Christmas packaging.

Start getting things like foil, loo roll, ketchup etc that will always be used so you don't have to get them in December when there are other things to buy.

I make about ten Xmas cards each year to send, 5 to give by hand.

About 18 years ago, DH and I spent €12 on a plastic tree (that we still use), and there was no money for decs. So I got out my sewing stash and made stuff out of felt, ribbon, beads, feathers! Most things I still have, some stuff has died, feathers were repurposed for Easter.

I sewed like crazy just before DS was born, made loads of baby stuff. As he's a December baby, I also made 25 mini stockings to hang across the wall and be stuffed with sweets and such, we still use it, it's in its 11th year. We put in a small sweet or choc, a joke, a note from the dog, a note saying how much we love DS. I made us all proper big stockings.

This year I'm doing cross stitches as gifts. I've just finished a nutcracker for a friend. DBro is getting Moss from IT Crowd, DSis is getting a Stranger Things themed one. My bestie is getting a Xmas tryptych of quotes from Elf and Muppets Xmas Carol, and one of the Nakatomi tower and some guns! from Die Hard. DM is getting Charles Rennie Mackintosh themed one, and my dad a guitar. They take ages, but can be easily picked up and put down.

We don't go crazy on Xmas food as we're in Spain and don't have traditional roast. Xmas lunch can be whatever we fancy that year.

I'll start my Xmas cake on 1st September - guess I'll be buying ingredients this week!

DH organises his own family, I don't make or buy them anything. A few years ago I cut right back on gifts and who to buy for.

I make crackers out of clean Pringles tubes and fill them with fun things like novelty pens, fidget toys (huge hit!), miniature booze, packet of seeds, choc, nail varnish - whatever.

I use bolts of fabric with ribbon, or fabric drawstring bags for the gifts, never paper. DS lives seeing these: " this had my electric train last year!" etc.

thoughts I just bought my Christmas jumper from Vinted while they're cheaper. It arrived a few days ago and I love it!!

hedgerowrobin I love your name!!

It's going to be quite a mindful Christmas for everyone but I think it can still be fun... hopefully!

I'll be reusing decorations too but definitely crafting some if possible :)

Shgytfgtf111 good idea about nuts! Didn't even think of it! I'll get them next week. Foil is always so expensive at Christmas isn't it.

elQuintoConyo so many cute ideas!

I’m in, thanks for starting the thread Collie

Following. So far, I've made some jam for presents- I know homemade presents are contentious but I actually get asked specifically for this stuff and the people who get given it tend to be the ones who are spreading it thickly when they visit- and I'm planning on putting a cinnamon stick and maybe some other spices into a jar of our regular tea to infuse it with Christmassy flavours in time for December. We do like to have biscuits on hand (which we don't much of the year) but are traditionalists so very happy with butter shortbread (under a pound from LIDL) or homemade gingerbread (the best hm biscuit for keeping well, also for keeping as dough in the freezer, and for cutting out in nice shapes, if your DC are so inclined). I always make our own mincemeat (cheap and better than shop bought) and conscript the DC into making mince pies. Chocolates tend to arrive as presents, so I won't be buying those.
@HedgerowRobin just a couple of ideas that we like for frugal days out (not knowing where you are or how old your children are): do any local churches do a Christmas Tree Festival? They are normally low cost, sometimes with a children's trail and cake stand? Or how about a country walk with a flask of hot soup and sausage rolls? You might be able to find somewhere you could find some natural "decorations" (e.g. pinecones) to hunt for and use when you get back. Not exactly a "day" out, but a tour of the local lights after dark, followed by hot chocolate at home, can be good fun. If you have any museums, gardens, galleries etc nearby, it can also be worth keeping an eye on their events pages as sometimes there are free fun things like trails, crafts or even performances for children put on there.

Following with interest.

@ThisisCollie2022
Your list is awesome! Just what the festive season should be.
I’m definitely coming to yours for Christmas! 😁

YY to getting this you can store (but remember where you put them )

I write lists in a notebook , things I think of that I'd like but often when it comes down to it, I don't buy .

My DC are adults (still at home) They get a Dec 1st Box ( well large gift bag) with socks and underwear , pyjamas and a robe if they need one . Loungewear for DS
Their old ones get looked through and recycled

I am guilty of buying the big tubs of sweets (or DH does) but I've not eaten chocolate since the end of April (I know Go-Me ) I might have some choice sweets but not till Christmas itself .

Decorations are limited to bannister and high up because out lovely cats are Tree Wreckers . So no festive candles either (just in case they knock them)

I have re-organised my kitchen cupboards so I know I don't need anything there .

I didn't make a cake last year but I bought some Sainsbury cake bites , they were "ok" but I think this year I'll make a small cake for me .

We save our Nectar Points all year for the Big Food Shop. (DH DD and I are vegetarian , I buy a couple of chickem breasts for DS - the cats get share too- so no meat joints here )
I have learned over the years that no-one eats pudding after dinner , still got the Christmas pudding from at least 2 years ago (maybe 3 ) it needs eaten this year .
I'll have a scoot to Costco for binbags , foil, drinks , I've got storage in the garage.

I do an Advent Calendar for DD which is £ and takes a while to get together , it forms part of her present so she's happy .

No chocolate advents this year ( the last ones I got were a bit rubbish) but they do get a Selection Box in their Dec 1st Box

I;ve got the bedding, straws, shower curtain, towels , just need the Christmas Loo Roll ( yes its A Thing here , we still need to use it why not add a bit of frivolity to December )

I have spent £200 on a trip out for DD and I .

DS likes money for presents (which is fine by us , saves spending on things he doesn't need )
DD does a list and we go shopping either London or big shopping centre .

No Twitching hopefully ( hence the lists are important ) that will save ££

I'm in. Waves at collie! Another fabulous list.

There's a long running thread in the cost of living section about being frugal (and chatting...), it's absolutely friendly and supportive and welcoming to new folk.

I've made 3 lots of Sloe Gin already and have tons left, so bought some more cheap value gin today to make more. Will use for gifts in the main. The Sloes drop into our garden from a tree next door and it's a bumper harvest. Easy to do with blackberries too... and is even better left a year if you've loads.

We used to visit the father Christmas at Delemere forest in Cheshire - it was very magical and wholesome experience. Each child was given a mini Christmas tree and wooden decoration from Santa and you left via a wardrobe al la Narnia! Perhaps other forests do similar?