Christmas With More Meaning and Less Money

You asked for ideas about celebrating Christmas with lots of spirit and little cash.

Choosing to simplify Christmas can be enriching, no matter why you've arrived at that choice.

Don't be concerned that your children will suffer just because money is tight this year.

What's important to them is that you're all happy together.

Remember that for children what's important is the process, not the finished product.

You "can" create a storybook Christmas for yourselves and your kids if you model it after the Waltons or Little House on the Prairie, rather than TV ads showing "perfect" family gatherings.

In fact, why not give them the gift of family-activity nights, instead of mindless TV watching?

Plan to watch only the Christmas specials you KNOW will help increase the gratitude and wonder.

You want them to feel this season.

Let everyone be involved in the planning and the doing.

Here are some starter ideas:

SPIRIT:

1.  Putting magic into holidays takes a flight of fancy, not a spending spree. Creating Christmas spirit is like believing in fairies: it takes some we WILL-thinking, instead of we WON'T (as in we won't have, we can't afford, etc). For thousands of years people made their own fun. You can do it, too. .

2.  Use what you have: your imagination and knowledge, combined with the resources at hand or within this year's budget. You know some Christmas songs. Teach them to your children. Gather family and friends, hold a practice session, then go caroling at a nursing home, hospital, shelter and/or around your neighborhood. You'll feel great!

If your children are old enough, tell them stories about your favorite childhood Christmas.

Make up one.

Check a few books out from your library and read a new story every night for a week.

Your librarian will help you choose the best ones. 

Check our lots more ideas here: NewCelebrations