This year is one year we have a bit more at our disposal. Still, I recognize how easily that can get out of control. Often, Christmas magic can come with a high price tag when comparison comes into play.
We as moms want to create Christmas magic for our kids. We want them to have everything we can give them, building great memories. Even in a world driven by consumerism, there are still ways to do this for our kids on a budget, at low or free prices.
Let's talk about ideas you can do this year to make Christmas magic come alive for your kids. Ideas that don't have to involve a lot of money, but create great memories for the entire family, even on a budget.
1) Use an Advent/countdown calendar:
There are a lot of different types of Advent calendars out there. You can go for the felt ones from the Dollar Tree on a budget, or you can craft one of your own with supplies around your house and simple candies or trinkets. There are also many kinds of branded and licensed calendars with small gifts, up to extremely expensive ones. It all depends on what works for your family. (This is one with prices for all budget levels.)
The calendars are a great way to get the kids involved in the whole Christmas season. They can get excited to open the box or move the tracker. Having something for everyone to do daily starts the magic going throughout the season.
2) Go see Christmas lights:
Make it a P.J. night. Or get your favorite hot drink. Find the most beautiful lights in your area. Go to the neighborhoods that have all the great lights. Find a drive through or walkthrough lights display close to home. A core memory for many of us is driving around to see all the glowy lights this time of year, and we can give that to our kids.
3) Bake Christmas treats:
There are a lot of wonderful winter flavors to pull from this time of year. Many of our kids will love crafting these holiday treats with us, and then eating them with us, of course. A bonus of this one is that it's an easy homemade gift to give to others, too. What are your favorite Christmas treats to make? Making homemade thin-mints is one of mine.
4) Christmas crafts:
If your kids are anything like mine, they love crafting and creating. Cutting, taping, coloring, the whole nine. There are many craft ideas you can find online, many stores have Christmas craft kits, and Christmas crafts are hours of fun (okay, if your kids are neurodivergent, like mine, it may be minutes at a time, but it adds up). Bonus here is that many of these crafts can be used to decorate your house for the holiday, and children love seeing their artwork on display. Our entire tree is decorated with kids' handmade ornaments and some wrapped candy canes this year. We keep adding as the season goes on.
5) Decorate together. Use classic family decorations, homemade decorations, and collections:
One of my favorite things when I was a kid was helping my mom decorate our tree and seeing the same ornaments year after year. Our kids will likely feel the same. Nostalgia is powerful, and some of that nostalgia starts early. It's like built in family traditions. As mentioned above, homemade decorations also make for great decor. Family collections are also great here. I have collected stockings for years, and seeing them all up on the walls bring me and my kids a lot of joy this time of year. Does your family have Nativities to set out? Let your kids help. How about a collection of Santas or Nutcrackers? Kids love seeing them all out this time of year.
6) Make a special holiday breakfast:
This can be something you do just on Christmas morning, or perhaps each Saturday in December (or starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving). Choose something special to mark the meal, something you don't do often or any other time. It can become a great tradition for your family.
7) Create family traditions:
Speaking of family traditions, Christmas traditions are something many of us enjoy. As I talked about earlier, nostalgia is powerful. These traditions become nostalgic even for our kids, and makes predictable magic year after year. Maybe it's the Christmas lights, or the Christmas breakfast. Maybe it's sending Christmas cards to others or doing some kind of other community connection (more on this in a minute). Maybe it's a special movie or book. Maybe it's how you give gifts, or opening one on Christmas Eve. Maybe it's decorating the day after Thanksgiving or chopping down your tree. Creating family traditions for your small family can be a great way to create Christmas magic on a budget.
8) Christmas movie night:
We love this one. Pick a family Christmas movie, get in cozy P.J.s, and have all the snacks everyone loves. We recently did this with Home Alone 2. The kids don't always sit through it (ours are 5y and 6y), but it's still a good family time. This is something we'll probably do a few times throughout the holiday season.
9) Find ways to give back:
This is a good way to teach compassion, strengthen your community, and connect with others. Some ideas for this one are to send Christmas cards to people you haven't spoken to in a while or don't see often, donate money or food or gifts for those who are in need this time of year, or volunteer at places that are helping others. Christmas is a good time of year to foster the community you live in.
10) Holiday story times:
There are so many great holiday story books out there. Think Polar Express or How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There are also many that incorporate the Biblical Christmas story. Read many of these together throughout the season. I also love introducing my kids to other winter holidays through books. While we celebrate Christmas, I want them to know that there are other great winter celebrations and other families that do things differently. We just got this Curious George Hanukah book that is so cute and my 5y loves it. One of my favorites that I got last year is a Nightmare Before Christmas picture book that can be sung to the tune of "Here Comes the Sandy Clause." Reading with your kids has so many benefits, and stories can be a super affordable way to create Holiday magic.
BONUS for those who do Santa at your house:
11) Write letters to Santa:
What could be more fun for kids than writing letters to Santa and then sending it off to the North Pole?
12) Follow Santa's Journey:
Every year, you can follow Santa's trek around the globe. For kids that are engaged with Santa as part of their Christmas, this is a fun idea.
13) Make Santa cookies and Reindeer treats:
Don't forget the reindeer this year. Making cookies for Santa has always been tradition for many, but we often forget about the reindeer. While they might love carrots (according to Frozen), there are also recipes online for us to eat called "reindeer treats"- it's basically a variation on puppy chow/muddy buddies. Make those, leave them out for the reindeer, and then enjoy them for yourself so your kids know they stopped by.
Holidays don't have to break the bank. There is magic to be had for everyone. As moms, we are the ones who usually create it for those around us, but we don't have to break the bank to do it. We also don't have to reinvent the wheel for it. Things we loved are things our kids will love, too.
What are your favorite things to do with your families this time of year? Share them with us below.
P.S. If you're a mom doing it all and trying not to lose her ever-lovin' mind in the process, I have a great supportive program for you. You can have it all without losing your mind - and you don't have to do it alone. Book a 15 minute consultation today to see if it's a good fit.