How to have a happy Christmas without breaking your budget. Really.
Christmas
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus December 25. Families get together for food, fun and football. Stores have had their decorations on the shelves since (hopefully no sooner than) after Halloween. Many children will leave out cookies and milk for Santa, who’ll leave them presents, and reindeer treats for those with tired hooves. There can be great joy or great headache with the Christmas Season. Being a single parent, you do double duty alone. Hopefully you’ve bought your presents in advance, but it still amazes me the amount of people who wait until the last minute to purchase gifts. Some years, I have been one of those people but I find it’s not good for my sanity, LOL! Cut out all the non-essential gift giving, such as at the office, and that takes a load off. Big families might draw names to buy for one person which helps also. You can type up and print out on seasonal stationery (keep an eye out for them at the resale shop or check after-Christmas sales) holiday letters to close friends and relatives far away. Don’t forget to see the night sky on Space.com’s Sky Calendar.
Gift Giving
Gift certificates are practical gifts: the receiver can purchase what they need. Home-made gifts such as gift baskets filled with their favorite tea and coffees, or just-baked cookies are nice to give and are less expensive than baskets bought in the store. You can find baskets at your local thrift store. Line the bottom with leftover Easter grass and wrap in colored cellophane. What goes inside is up to you. For example: your favorite fisherman may need new lures or other fishing equipment, the newest member of the family could use baby wash and sunscreen (it’s not just for summer) and your sister may like a crochet book, yarn and knitting needles.
Ship Early
Ship your holiday packages early! Check the UPS Holiday Shipping Schedule for the last days to ship before Christmas, and use the UPS time and cost calculator to see how long your package will take to get there.
Decorations
When looking for new ornaments, check your local thrift store. I found a few cute knick-knacks to go with the decorating theme I want this year. Unless you can find a good sale at one of the major department stores, wait until after Christmas to buy your decorations (for next year). Also check the craft store for decorating classes and pick up a craft sheet to make your own decorations.
Homemade Ornaments and Crafts
Applesauce Ornaments
- 4 ounces (1 cup) cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon cloves
- 1 Tablespoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 3 Tablespoons white glue
- 1/2 teaspoon food coloring
- Optional: 1 teaspoon glitter
Combine ingredients. Work with the dough until smooth. Divide into several portions. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters. Make a hole in the top. Dry at room temperature for 1-3 days. Turn over once to let the other side dry. String ribbon through the hole and hang on the Christmas tree, or give as gifts.
Christmas Bells
Take a white paper cup and decorate the outside with glitter, sequins, beads, paper, stickers, whatever you have. Punch a small hole in the top of the cup. Slip a pipe cleaner through the hole to the inside of the cup. Twist the pipe cleaner around so it forms a hook. Place a jingle bell at the end of the pipe cleaner. Now your little ones have a bell for the tree or a gift.
Don’t forget about using toilet paper rolls for crafts. You could make napkin rings, drums, toy soldiers or angels.
Want more Christmas craft ideas? See Christmas Crafts.
Reindeer Pokey
Sing it to the tune of The Hokey Pokey:
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put your antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
Use these as the next verses, or come up with your own:
You put your hooves in…
You put your red nose in…
You put your fluffy tail in…
You put your reindeer body in…
Entertainment
Seasonal entertainment such as plays and choral concerts may be found inexpensively at local churches or community centers. Take a drive through a light festival such as the Wayne County Lightfest or visit a fun event like the Holly Dickens Festival.
Volunteer Work
A lot of homeschoolers volunteer around their communities year round. Nursing homes and hospices welcome groups performing plays and helping with craft projects. Canada has Boxing Day the day after Christmas. Pack your unused items and donate them to the shelter. Keep volunteering beyond the holiday season. It helps boost the community spirit, and the personal rewards are greater.
A Bit of Trivia
Donder (not Donner), which means thunder, was the original name of the reindeer who helped pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. He was paired with Blitzen, whose name means lightning.
Wrapping Up the Season
The holidays are done. What can you do with those seasonal leftovers that aren’t meant for the refrigerator? Most people already recycle the tree, and the wrapping paper. But, even those thousands of foam packing peanuts can serve another purpose. Many UPS Store locations take clean packing peanuts so they can be reused. Contact your local store to see if they participate. Recycle your Christmas trees instead of throwing them curbside with the garbage. Many places will process the trees into wood chips. Recycling holiday trees is one small, but important way to discard and reuse the trees at the same time. Check your local county park for their tree recycling info.
🎄 More Christmas Ideas for Your Family
Looking for more ways to celebrate on a budget? Here are more Christmas ideas from Homeschooling on a Shoestring.
Last Updated on November 1, 2026 by Jodi