5 Ways to Make Christmas Special on a Budget

The Christmas season is officially here! Cue the carols, lights and nativities. Cue the stress that comes from wondering how you’re going to buy for everyone on your list without taking on debt that you’ll still be paying off in June.

The struggle is real.

I am not a Scrooge. I love Christmas and I love giving gifts. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to show someone how much you love them in a tangible way.

But is it worth spending money you don’t have?

Over the last few years I have come to the realization that Christmas isn’t about how much money you spend. Togetherness and love make Christmas special.

2020 has reminded us more than ever that family and friends are the true gifts at Christmas.

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But what about the gifts?

Already this year I have had variations of this conversation with multiple people:

• We don’t have a lot of money to spend this year.
• We don’t really need any gifts.
• Let’s just buy gifts for the kids.
• Maybe we can just get together for dinner instead.

I’m certainly not against buying and giving gifts. But I am against buying to impress someone, or to out-give someone else.

Here are five ways you can give at Christmas without breaking the bank. Don’t worry, you’ll still experience the joy that comes from the season, but without the big price tag.

Make Christmas Special on a Budget by Having a Get-Together

Note: Chances are, most of us will not be attending or hosting large parties this year, so this one might be an idea to tuck away for 2021!

When I say a get-together, I do not mean a full-on Christmas party! Christmas parties are great, and I love attending and hosting them. But they can get really expensive, really fast.

If you decide to have a small party or get-together in your home, you’ll need to carefully budget and plan, since they can be very expensive. Having a potluck is a great way to cut costs. It also makes it easier on you as the hostess, since you won’t have to spend as much time cooking, and can enjoy the party.

You can always just host a small, intimate gathering for a few friends. When I lived closer to my family I hosted a cookie party for the girls in my family. I’d cook a big pot of soup and make a loaf of fresh bread. It was so simple and not very expensive.

I’d have the ingredients for three or four different cookie recipes–so we didn’t need dessert. There were plenty of cookies for everyone to take home. We made a lot of Christmas memories without spending a lot of extra cash.

Here are a few other ides for a simple Christmas gathering: a taco bar, hot chocolate bar, drive around an area with a lot of Christmas lights, wrap gifts, make ornaments or go caroling. I promise you that the memories made will last a lot longer than gifts–no matter how much you spend.

Make Christmas Special on a Budget by Giving a Family Gift

Is there a family in your life that means a lot to you? It might be a mentor or even your pastor’s family. You want to show them how special they are, but it can be so expensive to buy individual gifts for each one!

Last year we tried giving family gifts–and we loved it! There are a lot of ideas for family gifts that go beyond gift cards. Although a gift card to a favorite restaurant, or even a grocery store is a welcome gift to many people.

I love theme gifts, presented in a pretty basket. For instance, you could do a basket with a movie-night theme. Fill it with popcorn, candy, hot chocolate mix and a movie you know they don’t have.

Or buy the fixings for a meal–like spaghetti, pasta sauce, salad mix, dressing and a loaf of Italian bread. Or a taco theme with all the fixings for taco night.

The possibilities for family gift baskets are endless. It’s a fun idea that won’t cost you a lot, but will remove a burden from a family during a stressful time.

Make Christmas Special on a Budget by Focusing on Quality Over Quantity

A couple of years ago we went through a tough time financially. We were only able to buy our boys two gifts. I was heartbroken and thoguth they’d be disappointed.

But I learned that year that they loved what they were given, even though it wasn’t extravagant. They were just happy to open the gifts and play with their new things.

I know there are a lot of “rules” out there now about keeping Christmas simple by giving four gifts. That’s a great guideline, but we’ve scaled it down even further.

We generally buy them a nice book, (Usborne are my favorites!) and one nicer toy. This year they’re both obsessed with LEGO, and we bought them each a nice set.

Our boys rarely get new toys during the year, so they are thrilled with just those things under the tree. They’re young enough now that they don’t care much about clothes, and we just buy those as needed during the year.

We are trying to practice this same principle with other family members, too. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive to be loved and appreciated. It just needs to be something that shows you care.

It’s better if it’s something you know the other person loves, and may only purchase for themselves as a treat.

If a gift costs $5, but is given with a joyful heart, it is far more than a more expensive gift that is given out of obligation.

Make Christmas Special on a Budget by Giving Homemade Gifts

Homemade gifts are so fun to give and receive. But I do think you have to be careful about giving them. Sometimes a homemade gift can come across as cheap–which is what we don’t want!

But there is a difference between inexpensive and cheap. If I receive a homemade gift that I know was inexpensive, but the person made it with love, it’s still a perfect gift. If someone made me a homemade gift because they know that I’ll love it, it doesn’t matter how much it costs.

There are some many options for homemade gifts. If you’re crafty, your friends have probably mentioned something to you that they’d like you to make. Home-baked treats are great, too.

Some great homemade gifts I’ve given and received over the years include:

• Christmas potpourri
• caramel popcorn
• Christmas ornaments
• mini quilts

Make Christmas Special on a Budget by Giving the Gift of Time

The older I get, the more I realize the important things in life. One of those is spending time with my family and friends. Think for just a minute about a Christmas that was special to you.

Do you remember the gifts you received? Or do you remember the things you did and the people you were with? Chances are, you remember the activities the most.

If someone is special to you, let the know by spending time with them. Take a friend out to lunch. Take your kids to a museum or a play place. Plan a date night with your spouse.

None of these things are very expensive (unless you want them to be) but they will create memories that will last long after the wrapping paper is thrown away.

Make a Christmas Plan

There’s no shame in setting a Christmas budget, and following it. It’s okay to say, “We’re cutting back, and not spending as much on Christmas this year.”

You can still have a memorable holiday without all the trappings. You don’t have to worry about the credit card bills that will arrive in January. Focus on friends, family, togetherness and the joy of the season.

Make a plan and stick to it. Above all, remember that Christmas is a time to focus on Jesus. The other stuff is great, but it’s just extra.

What do you do to make Christmas special on a budget? I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below!

You may also like:

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• 3 Tips for Having a More Intentional Christmas
• 5 Ways to Make Christmas Special on a Budget
• 10 Faith-Inspired Gifts for Christian Moms

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