Holiday Memories On A Budget
The holidays are right around the corner, which means that if you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to make this time of year as magical and memorable as possible for your crew. With our current economic state, sometimes making those memories happen can feel a little more stressful. Especially when you have multiple children to bring the Christmas spirit to.
Don’t worry mama, I got you covered. Here are some inexpensive, fun, Instagram worthy ideas to bring Christmas joy to your little (and not so little) ones!
Cookie Baking – Everyone loves sweets and this is a wonderful way to get the whole family involved. Will it be messy? You bet. Will they love it? Most definitely. I’ve done this tradition with my kids for 5 years and counting. We bake cookies for teacher gifts and for family and friends. I stick to a couple of tried and true classics like snickerdoodles and M&M, but I always throw in a new recipe too. Here are some great ideas!
Christmas Light Outing – Make some hot chocolate, pack up the car (or in my case XL SUV), blast some Christmas tunes and go hunt down those neighborhoods with awesome light displays. Usually you can find some great areas with a simple Facebook search. This one is an awesome spur of the moment surprise outing for your crew.
Community Christmas Tree Lighting – Where we are in Ascension, the annual lighting of the Gonzales Christmas tree is always a hit. Jambalaya and hot chocolate will keep those bellies from growling and there’s even an appearance by the main character of Christmas, Santa Clause himself. Check out your city’s Facebook or website to see if they’re participating or have other holiday events planned.
Speaking of Santa…
Cabela’s/Bass Pro’s Santa’s Wonderland – Another hit, especially for the smallest of the crew. There are games, toys to look at, a mailbox for dropping those North Pole letters off, and of course, the coveted visit with the big man himself. You get a free 4×6 photo with the option to order more. When you’re on a strict budget, this is an awesome way for the kids to get their visit and to save $50+ on something you were planning on doing anyway. Get more info here.
Christmas Tree Decorating Party – Make a night of it! Everyone can get super involved with this one. Bring out the tree, let the littles put ornaments, let the older kids string lights. Afterwards cuddle on the couch and put on your favorite holiday movie.
Listen, I’m all for the glitz of Christmas but sometimes it’s not feasible. Your kids don’t have to have every little detail perfect in order to make memories. There’s beauty in the simple things. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
