Christmas Saving

Christmas is almost here and with it comes all the joy and happiness of the season, but sometimes it also can bring frustration with finances.  Christmas can be expensive, from gifts for co-workers, family and friends to Christmas dinner and all the in betweens.

Sometimes I long for the old-fashioned Christmas, the Christmas' of times like in Avonlea.  Recently, my husband and I have been rewatching Anne of Green Gables.  We watched the new season on Netflix, have you seen it yet?  It's not bad, but I still like the original; however, both make me long for the simplicity of life back then; especially when it came to holidays.  Not only was it simple, it was cost-friendly too. So I came up with some old-fashioned Christmas ideas that will keep your Christmas simple and cost-friendly.

1. Popcorn and cranberry garland

Every year I try to have us make this.  I have this vision in my head of us all sitting around the tree stringing popcorn and talking as a family.  Now, I know with three littles 4 and under this vision is not going to be a reality, but I still want to try.  We've yet to attempt this tradition; however, it's on our Advent calendar so this year it's happening.

Another option from is to make a paper chain garland. 

2. Bake from scratch

Cookies, brownies or any other treat, instead of buying them pre-made or as a kit just make them homemade, it does cost less.  Plus by making your own, you can then divide them up and pass out to your neighbors as a cost-friendly gift or advent activity. My girls and I have made and passed out cookies to our neighbors for the last two years, it's such a fun and simple advent activity that doesn't cost a lot.

3. Make your own wrapping paper

I love doing different things for wrapping at Christmas.  A simple alternative, brown packaging paper (or even the brown filler paper you get in those packages).  You can jazz up brown paper in so many ways.  Here are some of my favorite ways.

Brown paper with stamped name and ribbon ~ from: Confessions of a Wisconsin Housewife
Brown paper with twine and felt flowers ~ from: Design Dump
Brown paper with photo of gift recipient ~ from: Our Suburban Farm

Other ideas for brown paper:
add lime green &/or red duct tape or washi tape
add just a large initial of the recipient

4. Go caroling

Just like the popcorn string, I try to find a way to go caroling every year.  This year I was talking to my husband about how in just a few years, we can go as a family because the girls will be old enough.  I use to go caroling with a church group and I think it's such a fun thing to do.  So find some friends and go caroling!

5. Spend time as a family playing games

Play games, get out those board games and spend time together as a family in the evening.  Or do some fun Christmas crafts with your kids.  My girls love crafts, and doing special Christmas crafts is even more fun!  Here are some of my favorites we've done

6. Read the Christmas Story by the tree

Simple and no cost.  The true meaning of Christmas.  Recently I heard on the radio a new song that talks about what wasn't there the first Christmas.  If you think about all that we try to squeeze in and spend money on for Christmas, how many of those things were actually present at the first Christmas?  That really puts it into perspective of what all we try to do or buy during Christmastime.

7. Reuse/Recycle

I'm all about recycling by reusing first.  We get special treats from our hanging of the greens tradition that we do with my husband's family.  Generally they are given to us in Christmas tins.  I don't like to throw them away, but can't save them every year then I'd have too many.  (I will say I've saved some as Christmas decoration holders).  But, I've started using them to put our cookies in that we give to our neighbors.  It actually works out perfectly, now that we have 5 people in our family, because we have 5 neighbors.  This is just one way I reuse at Christmas.  Are there things you are given that you can reuse for anther purpose at Christmas?

8. Simple Advent calendar ideas

Toilet paper advent calendar ~ from: Coffee and Vanilla 
I tried this one last year and it worked really well.  You can see mine here.  
Get the how to on her blog above.

Mason jar advent calendar ~ from: Mama.Papa.Bubba
I loved the simplicity of this idea; however, I'm always having to rearrange my Advent Calendar it seems, so I made another version where the activity is a write in as well.  She has LOTS of different activities already planned so if you are looking for something already made this one is perfect! 

You can also download mine at the bottom of the page if you'd rather a write in option.  

Bible verse banner ~ from: Espresso and Cream 
I love how she ties in a bible verse for each day with this.  Plus, how simple and cost-friendly is this idea? 

9. Simple advent calendar activities 

Make and drink homemade hot coco
Make homemade hot coco as a simple gift for family, friends or neighbors
Make cookies for your neighbors
Wrap presents together 
Read the Nativity Story by the tree
Watch a Christmas Movie
Read Christmas books
Make a paper chain countdown

These are just a few, you can check out more free advent activities here. 

I love this time of year and decorating for it

If you liked this post you may also like 

Christmas Activities for Kids       or     25 ways to save this Christmas 

This post includes affiliate links, which means if you click on the link I get a portion of any sales at NO COST to you.  See my disclosure page for more details. 

Baby Girl makes Three

It has been a crazy month.  We were expecting our third little girl to be born in November, but she decided to come just a tad early, 4 weeks that is and was born in October.  This following me having been on a slight bed rest for almost 2 weeks, due to her wanting to come at 33 weeks.  While we thought the wait for baby girl was long, we didn't realize how long it was going to be after she was born.  Because she was just under 36 weeks she needed to be in the NICU for a small stay.  However, her bilirubin levels wouldn't go down and so we were there for longer than we anticipated.  While it was long for us, there were families that were there longer.  It was hard to see other babies and families who were worse off than our Little Miss and who had a longer road ahead.  While it was frustrating being there for a longer stay than we had planned, seeing those other families helped put it in perspective of what it could have been.  After 11 days of house rest & 11 days of the NICU, I was able to come home with baby girl.  Let me tell you this baby has been different from the delivery to the come home.  Having three girls changes things.  I mean we knew we'd be outnumbered, but staying home with three girls and having those lovely "just had a baby hormones", it's made for some interesting days.

In all honesty, I'm loving my time with my girls even if there are hard days.  There's nothing like getting to be home with them.  Already my oldest is in preschool this year, preschool!! I know, I know, I still have many years of school left for her, but I've already lost her for half the day.  Granted that half day is much needed for both of us, I have realized how close she is to being out of the house.  The last four years have gone by so fast and I didn't get to stay home with her for her first two.  Now that I've had the privilege of staying at home, I try to make the best of it as much as I can.

After being away from home for almost a month, I'm so glad to be home and back to normal.  Now that Thanksgiving is over we're starting to get into a average routine.  I mean, Little Miss still gets up in the night a few times so we have some slow mornings, but we're getting there.  At least, I'm able to get back in the routine of my blogging. 

It's been weird not taking time in my evenings to write down or brainstorm ideas on ways to save money.  I'm glad to be back at it, not only did I take a break from blogging, but I took a break from some of my savings tips as well.  But, as someone once told me, it's 80/20.  This is something you can apply anywhere; saving money, eating healthy, exercising...80/20.  If you are doing what you're trying to do 80% of the time, then you can allow yourself to have 20% of free way.  That's what I've done for the last month, I allowed myself to slide a little in some areas of saving while we're trying to figure out this whole 3 kid thing.  

Well this post was a little bit of rambling, but I just wanted to let you know I'm back to blogging about saving money and thanks for the grace of the time I've spent taking a break as we transitioned from hospital to Home.   

I hope that whatever it is you are doing you can remember 80/20.  We're not perfect, we need rest, we need to give ourselves Grace.  I mean God does and if he can then surely we can for ourselves too. 

Coming next week more ways you can save at Christmas time! 

Costumes

Halloween is coming up just around the corner.  While, Halloween isn't really a holiday that we particularly celebrate, my husband and I do participate with our friends in a costume party.   Costumes can bust your budget for the month of October, especially as your family grows and those costumes only last a year.  Maybe you can get them to last through a few kids, but not always.

A friend told me of an idea that she had about a costume swap.  She does something different, but thought that maybe doing a costume swap would work as well too.  I have a great group of friends that we try to do things like this with.  Not, only costumes, but baby clothes in general, maternity clothes and so forth.

Get all your costumes that your kiddos have out grown together, have a little gathering with your friends and do a costume swap.  You can even make it a fun little party if you want, I mean what a great excuse to get together with your friends!

Another idea for cheaper costumes, make your own.  Get creative!  Here are some ideas that we've done in the past as a couple and haven't had to buy anything:

1. Mr. & Mrs. Smith: I don't have a photo for this, but we just dressed up a little, black dress pants and a buttoned down white shirt.  Then we took our pellet guns and eye cover and called it good.

2. Switched roles (My husband is a library director and at the time I taught art). These are clothes that we had in our closet, plus I borrowed one of the paint smocks from the school to have him wear, other than that we had the books, paint, and paintbrushes available to us. Nothing to buy!

Bear with the photos, I was a newbie :)

3. Star Wars (pictured at the top) The only thing we ended up buying for this, was my husband's shoes.  Other than that the clothes were items we had in our closet, a sheet for his cloak and we already had all of the light savers even the little one.

4. Color family (This one has been on my list for awhile, but we haven't been able to participate the last couple of years).  My husband would wear all blue, I would wear all red and our girls would wear all purple.  These colors worked for us, it's what we had.  you could easily change the color combo to match colors you already have and that make each other. (yellow + blue = green, red+ yellow = orange) 

Last year the girls wore clothes from their closets as well.  We ended up doing two different events, so they had a couple different costumes, but really we paid nothing extra for them, they were what we had.

     Miss cheerleader & Little Pop-Star                                             Little Dutch girl & Princess Sophia 

  (she even had a toy guitar at one point)                                     (who picked out her costume herself)   

           

So, find some friends and have a fun costume swap, or raid that closet and get creative with what you have, really it comes down to being creative!  

Any other ways you save at Halloween?  Or any other costume ideas?  We've expanded the family so are always looking for more ideas!

Toilet paper roll art

There are so many fun things you can make with toilet paper rolls. And the best part they're free, I mean you already buy the toilet paper, so the roll is just an added bonus of something to use for something fun!

Supplies: 

toilet paper rolls, yarn, string or ribbon, scissors, stapler & hole punch. 

Here are some ways I've seen and tried and love:

1. Princess or Prince crowns:

Here are a few sites on how to's

Moon Frye
This one adds glitter, which is totally optional, but if you're making it for a party or something that would be fun.  I didn't try to add glitter, but it doesn't seem like it'd be much extra work.

Alina blog
This one uses washi tape to decorate with.

You can also go basic and just cut the crown shape and only add a ribbon or string.  The basic brown can be interesting too. 

2. Binoculars: 

One day my daughter wanted binoculars and so while I was cleaning the bathroom I thought I could use toilet paper rolls!

First: Staple the toilet paper rolls together. 

Second: Hole punch the sides and add your ribbon, yarn or string. 

3. Goggles: 

After we made binoculars, then the ball just started rolling, she wanted goggles and I thought I'm sure if I just make them smaller they could work, right?

First: Flatten the toilet paper roll tube. 

Second: Cut a small strip off.  You will need 2 total, so cut a second one as well. 

Third: Staple the two pieces together. 

Fourth: Hole punch the sides and add ribbon, yarn or string. 

4. Telescope:  

What's binoculars and goggles without a telescope.  I mean if you're a pirate, you have to have a telescope as well right?

First: Hole punch both sides of toilet paper roll. 

Second: Add ribbon, yarn or string.  You could also use a paper towel roll for this to make a longer telescope.  You also don't have to add string, my daughter just wanted string on the telescope like all the others. 

5. Toilet Paper Art: 

Finally, check out this craft we did at our family Christmas Creations: Toilet paper Art



Hope you enjoyed the different ways we make believe with toilet paper rolls!  What are some crafts you make, I'd love to hear. 

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