Preferred Style:

Quality:
Mobile: No images
Low Quality (Default): Small Images
High Quality: Large images, shadows, colors. Do not attempt on dial-up.

If you have a recommendation for a new color scheme, please tell us about it via the Contact Us page.

HomeschoolChristian's
Christmas Section

Low- or No-Income Christmas

Many members of HomeschoolChristian's message boards have experienced tight-budgeted Christmases. Below are their suggestions for stretching your finances during the season of giving.

Gifts and Gift-giving
Question:
"I don't have enough money to buy my children gifts this year! What am I going to do?"

Martha R. replies:
You can ALWAYS give a gift. It IS possible. Brighten up and look for your opportunity! I have several ideas for you.
1. One of the nicest presents any person can have is a personal letter that tells about the beauty of that person. I'm not talking physical beauty, though you could certainly talk about that, too. Here's an example:
"My dear daughter Sally,
You came into my life 10 years ago as a wonderful blessing from the Lord. Even while I felt you moving within me, I knew that you would be special. You are always the one in the family who thinks of others. Your kindness to your brothers is shown everyday in how you help them get dressed and how you encourage them to try harder. Your caring nature will allow you to serve others as our Lord asked us to.
We each were made special with our physical characteristics. You were blessed with beautiful hair. It is such a rich color and has wonderful waves. How pretty it looks in the sunshine! Always take care to brush it several times a day so that you treasure this fine gift from Heaven.
In this season of joy, I wanted to let you know, Sally, how happy I am to have you.
With much love,
Mom"
Focus on something genuinely positive about each child's personality and looks.
2. Thrift store shopping -- Save whatever you can from the grocery money (by not buying something that you normally buy -- like chips, meat, cheese, milk, etc. Buy veggies, rice, and beans instead.) and go to the thrift store. Find something small for each child -- a shirt, a book, a trinket. They will have something in your price range.
3. Call Toys for Tots -- They will give a toy to each child.
4. Call the Salvation Army -- They will give you Christmas dinner.
5. Bake fudge or favorite cookies.
6. Have special reading time. Get "The Gift of the Magi" from the library for inspiration.
7. Have an all day movie marathon with movies from the library -- various versions of A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, etc. (Movies with inspiring themes.) Pop some popcorn.
This season is about the joy of new beginnings. You can make that beginning by helping yourself. Life can bring you down, but it's up to you to focus on what you can do to bring joy to others, most especially your family!

Carly R. replies:
First, remember what gifts are about -- giving something that the person will enjoy, bringing pleasure to all. Your children won't mind if the toy or book is used, as long as it is still usable! You can find like-new used items at thrift stores, Goodwill, and local consignment stores. Garage and yard sales are excellent money-savers as well, and if you diligently watch Ebay, you can usually find what you want for a reasonable price.
In addition, if you are trying to save gift money, try the clearance racks at Target or other stores. You can also watch the sales papers in the local newspaper for weekly deals and coupons.

Cindy O. replies:
I'm making things from items I already have on hand. The women of the family will be getting some homemade notecards or stationery, and the men will be getting a personalized bookmark.

Norma replies:
Last year we did a white elephant exchange instead of buying gifts and it was great! This was my step daughters suggestion and what a blessing!! I cannot tell you how wonderful Christmas was last year!!! Many others also had tight finances and it just seemed so stupid to continually go in debt. I've always had problems with how commercialized Christmas is anyway. Well, besides having a great time, lots of laughs and appreciation, there was NO STRESS from all the time consuming, finance consuming shopping! WOO HOO! No time needed to wrap. I still am amazed at how STRESS FREE last Christmas was.
SO.........Of course we're doing it again this year!!!!
Now, my kids are all older, youngest is 15, and we are getting him one thing. To go with something his dad and siblings are getting him (I'm divorced and remarried). The siblings do draw names and get that one sibling something. (On Christmas Eve is when we usually had my kids, his kids, and all my siblings come over and it was just getting out of hand. The white elephant was the answer!

Martha R. replies:
Thrift stores are a great way to find inexpensive gifts! We found Christmas coffee mugs at 2 for a quarter at a couple of the thrift stores, so the kids are filling those with candy. One bought a jar with a tight fitting lid for candy, and another bought a glass dish and plans to paint something on it. (I hope a simple flower or something.) My older dd bought three embroidery hoops for $1.50 and a lace curtain for 50 cents. She is putting potpourri inside of the lace (making a little pouch) and having the embroidery hoop hold it in place to make a pretty thing for grandma's room or bathroom.
One grandma loves peacocks and we found a nice framed picture of one for $1.50. The kids all pitched in together to buy a "big" item for grandad -- a howitzer -- about 18 inches. Grandad founded a veteran's museum and the kids thought this might make a good display there. It was $10 so they really had to think about that one!
Younger son is planning on making older son a pillow. He found a really nice fabric scrap at Wal-Mart -- about a yard for $1.50, and got the fiberfill at a thrift store for 50 cents for a whole bag. My little one (just turned 6) found an angel at the thrift store that she wants to give to one grandma, and the ladies there just gave it to her. I found some dandy clothes for the kids and all were half off at the thrift stores!
Kitchen gadgets are some of the items we bought new. My dearest friend requested a new potato peeler (94 cents at Wal-Mart) and I found some little weighted metal clip thingys that hold a recipe up on the kitchen counter while you are cooking. These were 3 for $5 at Wal-Mart and I kept one and will be giving the other two.

Jennifer replies:
I don't have much money for Christmas gifts, so every year, I make Christmas ornaments. This year I am using a hot glue gun, and I am going to glue someone's name onto ribbon and then I am going to dump glitter on it. After you dump off the extra glitter, get wire and stick it through the top of the ribbon and you have a great cheap Christmas ornament that everyone loves!

Kysa replies:
I give everyone--this year 19 teens through adults--the same small gift. Last year it was beaded bookmarks. This year it will be homemade chapstick and a block of cheese. Okay, my husband says the 3 teens have to have something different from cheese. But I refuse to spend more than I can afford. And I have NEVER counted holidays by gifts.
I made Christmas stockings for my two soon to be children-in-law. We will again just have fun things in the stockings--then off to church.

Thinking Deeper About Gift-Giving
Here is something for deep thought today. What does it take for you to be satisfied? What makes a good holiday or birthday? If your dh didn't spend a bundle of money on you, are you disappointed? If "everybody" has the latest gadget (DVD player, Nintendo, etc.), do you feel that you have just GOT to get one for your children? Do you think satisfaction with gifts is all about the amount of money spent? Our society fosters the belief that you NEED things in order to be happy, and so many of us have bought into that idea. Creating need is the driving force in the advertising business. Ads convince you that you want something and that you cannot live without it. Our entire economy relies upon consumption: buy, use, throw away. I challenge you to look at the proposed Christmas lists for yourself and your children. Are these things that you really need? Will they build your spirit, body, or mind? Are these items on the list because they are the latest style or trend? Will this be something that lasts for many years, or will it be tossed in a month or a year because it is no longer interesting? Your biggest Christmas blessings are things that you will remember for many years: the pleasure you had spending time with those you love, the joy of giving of your time, the smells of treats baking, the smiles of happiness. Take some time for reflection and prayer. Are you wanting things because you're going along with the mainstream? You may say that Christmas is not about the stuff, but do you really mean it? - Martha R.

See Also:
Inexpensive Gifts for more frugal tips!