Christmas is a time for nostalgia, togetherness and magic. One of the beautiful things about becoming a parent is that you get to take the (reindeer) reins and create some festive magic of your own. It’s your job to pick the family Christmas traditions you will carry forwards as a parent.
When you think back to Christmas in your childhood, you probably have a whole bank of warm and fuzzy memories; and now you’re keen to create some for your children. With presents, food and all the extras, the cost of Christmas can quickly add up.
But fear not; it is possible to celebrate a magical family Christmas without breaking the bank.
Nowadays, social media makes it too easy to compare your life with other people’s in real time. This can leave you feeling deflated, so please remember that social media is just a snapshot; it’s not an accurate representation of anybody’s life.
Those Insta-worthy moments aren’t what Christmas is about. Your kids will have a perfectly magical time even without the matching pajamas and elaborate Christmas Eve boxes.
Kids of today won’t look back fondly on the perfectly posed social media shots; it will be the real-life messy memories that make them feel nostalgic as they grow up.
Whether you’re trying to make Christmas about more than money or you’re tightening your belt in the current economic climate, keep reading to find out how to have a budget-friendly Christmas.
Here are ten magical family Christmas traditions for a frugal festival period:
#1. Have a festive family baking session
Christmas is all about food, so baking is the perfect holiday tradition. This tradition can evolve as your family grows, from toddlers’ hands helping to stir the Christmas cake mixture to older children taking charge of the mince pie preparations.
You could make and decorate holiday cookies or make a gingerbread house from scratch if you’re not afraid of a challenge. Christmas baking is guaranteed to leave the whole family feeling festive.
You can include some of your masterpieces in the Christmas food baskets you give to loved ones.
#2. Throw a family Christmas party
Is there anything more wonderful than dancing to Christmas music in the kitchen? Surely not. Gather your kids together for a festive disco.
You can take turns choosing the songs. Make decorations in advance, so the room looks festive for the party. You can invite close friends or family to join the celebrations, if you like. It’s the perfect excuse to share some of the Christmas treats you’ve been baking.
#3. Festive neighborhood walk
An evening stroll around your local neighborhood, taking in all the festive decorations and light displays, is a perfect Christmas tradition.
If it’s winter, you can wrap up warm and head out after sunset for some holiday magic. Take a thermos of hot chocolate for bonus points and find a peaceful spot where you can stop for a drink en route.
If your neighborhood doesn’t have much in the way of Christmas lights, you might need to head to a different neighborhood.
Alternatively, you could try to start a neighborhood Christmas trail yourself. All you need do is kick things off at your house and post to social media, asking your local friends and neighbors to join in.
#4. Build up a Christmas book collection
This is a great tradition you can add to each year. Thrift stores and secondhand sales are great places to stumble across Christmas books.
Then, when December comes, you can add Christmas books to your usual selection, so your child can pick out festive stories in the run-up to Christmas.
You’ll probably find the Christmas stories you loved as a kid are still around. Your local library probably has a collection of children’s Christmas books available to borrow, so be sure to check them out during the holiday season.
#5. Decorate the Christmas tree as a family
When you think back to your childhood, can you remember the excitement of decorating the Christmas tree and picking out your favorite baubles and putting them in pride of place for everyone to admire?
Nowadays, with the rise in social media, people are a lot pickier about their Christmas tree and many don’t want their kids to decorate it.
One way around this is to decorate the tree as a family; that way, your kids get to revel in the magic and you can make sure the baubles are evenly spaced.
#6. Make Christmas cards together
Christmas greeting cards might seem outdated, but they’re a great way of teaching your children to remember their loved ones during the holiday season.
All you’ll need is some blank cards. and then some paints or coloring crayons and perhaps some things to glue onto them. Look online for inspiration; there are lots of card designs that look great but are simple to knock together.
With older children, holiday cards are the perfect opportunity to practise handwriting. Why not sit together and write your cards at the same time?
If you want to save money, focus on local friends whose cards can be hand-delivered, so you don’t have to fork out for postage.
As well as cards, you can also make DIY gifts, too. Festive arts and crafts are the perfect Sunday afternoon activity. For example, you could help your older children knit, sew or paint presents for their grandparents.
Christmas gifts don’t have to cost a lot of money; the time you spend on something is important, too.
Why not design your own wrapping paper? Brown packaging paper can be purchased inexpensively and your kids can use stamps and paints to create fun gift wrap.
#7. Have a family sleepover under the tree
You don’t need to spend lots of money on expensive cinema tickets; sometimes a change in routine will feel just as special. Why not set up a floor bed in the living room so you can camp out under the twinkling lights on the tree?
Your kids can drift off to their favorite Christmas movie or you can share a Christmas story under the tree. They will love the thrill of sleeping downstairs, which will undoubtedly make a great whole family tradition for the Christmas season.
You don’t need to spend lots of money on a festive sleepover. Instead, you can pick a free-to-watch film from the abundance of Christmas movies, then have a warm drink and snuggle up under warm blankets.
No phones, no distractions – just uninterrupted family festivities.
#8. Attend a free community event
People spend a small fortune on Christmas events these days. As a result, you can end up forking out a lot for festive experiences, from overpriced grottos to expensive pantomimes.
However, you don’t need to break the bank for a Christmas day out; many free community events are organized each year.
Look on your local social media and news sites to find out what events are happening near you. For example, there might be a free Christmas concert with a local brass band or Christmas carols at your local church.
There are bound to be locally organized Christmas celebrations that you can attend without spending any money.
#9. Give something back
Teaching kids to look out for others is possibly one of the most important lessons you can hand down. And when better to teach it than at Christmas?
It doesn’t have to cost a lot for you to give something back, so don’t let your budget put you off. Helping others will help you get into the holiday spirit and remind you what Christmas is really about.
You could make Christmas cards for the residents of a local old people’s home. Or perhaps you could donate much-needed items to a nearby homeless shelter; call in advance to find out which items they need.
You could give your children a budget and ask them to pick out some things for the local food bank.
#10. Write a letter to Santa
Writing a letter to Santa is a much-loved annual tradition in many families. It gives your children a chance to ask Santa for something they really want. It also allows you to find out what they want before you go shopping!
It’s probably wise to coach them to write down a few options in different price brackets and explain that Santa can’t bring everything but will certainly bring something.
The earlier you write letters, the better; you don’t want to be caught out and discover that a ‘must-have’ Christmas toy has been sold out for weeks. Plan ahead and write your letters at the very beginning of December.
Nostalgic Christmas traditions
If this is your first Christmas with your first child, you’re probably starting from scratch with Christmas traditions. You will probably want to include a mix of traditions from each of your childhoods, picking and choosing the best traditions to carry forwards.
Making your own family Christmas traditions
Many couples choose to create their own family Christmas traditions, too. This might be a night of family board games on Christmas Eve or a special breakfast on Christmas morning. It’s totally up to you what you choose to do.
Remember, cheap, easy-to-follow traditions will stand the test of time, without causing additional stress and cost at what is already a tricky time of year.
