We all want to give our family that magical Christmas that we remember from our childhood. The only problem is that we’ve been led to believe that magic requires money.
That isn’t the case. There are so many ways to give your family a Christmas to remember without spending a fortune. Let’s take a closer look at how to make Christmas magical when you’re broke.
Play Christmas Music
Christmas music alone is enough to fill your home with that magical Christmas feeling. Whether you have satellite, cable, or even a Roku, you can find Christmas music to play on your TV.
You can also find radio stations online that are completely devoted to Christmas music (sometimes even before Thanksgiving!).
Watch Christmas Movies
Chances are you have Christmas movies in your movie collection. Gather them all up and keep them by the TV. Each evening, watch something Christmassy. It might be a short Christmas special or a full-length movie - it just depends on the evening.
You can also often find Christmas movies on TV or Netflix during this time of year.
Bake
Think about it. What are some of your fondest memories from your childhood Christmases? Chances are you remember making cookies. This is a memory that is so easy and inexpensive to recreate.
You can find cookie cutters at the Dollar Tree along with many of the ingredients you’ll need to make basic sugar cookies. Many grocery stores also have the ingredients on sale throughout December.
You can also have family fun assembling gingerbread houses. There's no expensive kit needed - just use graham crackers, some frosting, and some candy to assemble and decorate your houses. You could even make it into a contest!
Make Homemade Decorations
Not only do homemade decorations make your home beautiful, but it gives kids something fun to do to pass the time. Make a batch of popcorn and then let the kids string the popcorn to place on the Christmas tree.
You can also color strips on pieces of paper and then roll the paper to create candy canes. There are so many homemade decorations that are inexpensive to make.
Drive Around Looking at Christmas Lights
My family and I love to drive around and look at the Christmas lights! Ask around for some neighborhoods in your area that are known for their Christmas displays and schedule an evening to drive around the neighborhood looking at lights.
One neighborhood near us in Michigan even had a house that had their lights timed to music you could broadcast over your car radio.
Spend 30 Minutes Each Day Doing Something Christmassy
Last, but not least, spend at least 30 minutes each day doing something Christmassy during the month of December. It might be watching a movie, doing crafts, making hot cocoa, or just reading a Christmas-themed book. Squeeze every drop of joy from the holiday season so that your family feels the spirit of Christmas each and every day.
Christmas doesn’t have to be expensive to be magical. Even if you’re down to your last penny, there are so many things you can do to make your family happy this holiday season.
Additional Posts You Might Like:
5 Tricks to Keep Your Finances on Track During the HolidaysHow to Have a Debt-Free Christmas5 Ways to Save Money for Christmas Shopping
Julie says
All great ideas. We do tend to forget that the simple things are important and it isn't all about spending money. Thanks for the tips.
Kiz Leppert says
These ideas are so valuable. They are real solutions that are happy in nature. Thank you for these ideas!
*We're off to go look for lights!