Dreaming of a Simple, Frugal Christmas? Try These December Tips

Hate overspending and going into debt over the holidays? Learn how to actually enjoy Christmas on the cheap with this guide to the thriftiest gifting, budget menus, and minimalist décor. Let’s dive in to how to have a frugal Christmas!

How to Have a More Frugal Christmas

Thanks to Heidi for this guest post!

One gift we all give every Christmas, whether we realize it or not, is the gift of memories. Our Decembers are made of moments that our families will hopefully treasure and maybe even repeat. 

Most years, I let Christmas get crazy. A crazy-full slate of festivities leaves me dreaming of a white Christmas (as in a blank, white December calendar). Crazy expenses leave both the Amazon delivery driver and my credit card exhausted. Some years, I don’t even find joy in wrapping gifts because there are so many gifts and so few moments to wrap them. Christmas sometimes feels like a full-time job with overtime, without a paycheck.

A television commercial for Chex cereal caught my attention during the hectic Christmas season. Maybe you’ve seen this one. The nostalgic advertisement spoke of the holidays and implied that mom was “amazing” because she made a batch of Chex Mix. (You know the recipe, right? It’s the one with Chex mix, Spanish peanuts, and pretzels.)

While Chex Mix makes a fantastic holiday snack, the sentiment of that “amazing” mom and my desire to emulate her challenges my faith. I admit I often focus on how happy I can make everyone during the holidays. But who am I to steal the show and make Christmas about me? 

God powerfully positioned an unforgettable star in the sky and a host of angels. He lovingly placed a baby in a manger to save The Entire World. I can’t compete with that. I don’t have to. He’s done the work of making Christmas wonderful. I can make it wonderful and memorable for my family by keeping the focus on Jesus. 

So I’m taming Christmas this year.

Want to join me? If you’re striving for a simple and frugal Christmas this year, try these ideas for gifts, decorations, and festivities. 

Gifts for Your Kids 

Give something the kids need anyway, like a new hoodie, warm socks, fashion boots, etc. Or give a gift that supplies lasting character value, like guitar or piano lessons, or maybe even a small pet, like a fish or a hamster.

Think ahead and supply your kids with something they can use to make gifts for others throughout the rest of the year, like a pot-holder-making kit or crochet hook and yarn. One of my boys once received a guitar pick maker that turned old credit cards and gift cards into guitar picks that he was able to give as little gifts. 

Tip: Here are over 100 Frugal or Free Christmas Gifts for Toddlers.

Sibling or Cousin Gifts

Drawing names or “secret Santas” is fun for young siblings. Have the kids make a gift for their secret person or fill December with acts of care (doing their chores) and tiny surprises (a candy cane under the pillow or other fun find).

That’s how my Mom ran Christmas for her five kids, and we loved it. It was such fun to try to determine who had which name. We’d reveal it on Christmas Eve with a small gift. The idea here is you have only the expense of one gift rather than one for each sibling. Drawing names is a great way to cover cousin gifts too inexpensively! 

Grandparent Gifts

Watch for deals from large photo companies on personalized calendars. Make one for Grandma to enjoy all year long. Or promise delivery of a dozen baked goods monthly if grandparents live nearby.

Gifts for Your Siblings

I think the best Christmas gift I ever gave my sisters was the simplest and least expensive. They were delighted when I printed off pictures I had taken randomly throughout the year of their kids (my nieces and nephews). A ribbon tied around each stack of photos was all the wrapping needed.

Grandparents would likely cherish such a gift, too!

Teacher Gifts

Sunday school teachers, music lesson teachers, coaches, etc.—if you want to thank every teacher who has impacted your family, you could end up with quite a list! Make a big impact right back—by simply using words.

How about a handwritten card from your child to their teacher listing “five reasons I’m glad you’re my teacher” or “my favorite memory of you is…”? Buy a bag of Lindor truffles or Hershey Kisses and attach one chocolate on each envelope for the teacher to savor as they read the sentiments. How sweet would that be?

Tip: Here are some Non-Food Gifts in a Jar ideas.

Neighbor Gifts

Pinterest wants us to give gifts to all of our neighborhood gal pals. That’s cute and kind—if you’ve got the time and the budget. If not, you have permission to disobey Pinterest.

If you are compelled to give neighbor gifts anyway, here’s a way to keep the cost down: Buy a simple set of cookie cutters or some inexpensive kitchen utensils from a dollar store. Tie a ribbon around each one, add a tag or a copy of a favorite recipe, and toss them in the mailboxes in your neighborhood.

Skip the Gift Tags

Save a little by omitting gift tags. Write your “to” and “from” directly on wrapped gifts with a Sharpie. This little trick also makes gifts stackable as well as portable. 

Christmas Cards

Consider ordering inexpensive photo prints when the deals are hot rather than fancy photo Christmas cards. Then, purchase boxes of inexpensive cards and tuck your photos in. You could also shorten your list of recipients to save on cards and stamps or send cards every other year.

For even more savings on stamps, use hand-delivery whenever possible. Learn to letter and take the time to add carefully written names to make a simple card feel like a thoughtful gift. 

Tip: Here’s how to Make Your Own Paper.

Simplify the Decorations

Remember that what goes up must come down. Do you want to spend precious time decking the halls? If yes, enjoy. If not, keep it simple.

For me, “simple” means one tree, stockings, a wreath on the front porch, and just a few meaningful odds and ends throughout the house, like a pretty container to catch the Christmas cards we receive. I also like to display a collection of the hand-drawn Christmas cards we sent when our kids were little. 

A paper chain with Christmas paper is a precious activity for a young family and a simple decoration. String up the Christmas you receive, or display your own family Christmas card photos. Repurpose and make ornaments to decorate or give away. Projects like these take more time than money.

Here are some Old Fashioned Christmas Decorations you can make.

Attend Free Events

Save money by finding free events rather than attending spendy, ticketed holiday concerts or ballets. In my area, no-cost festivities include a Handel’s Messiah sing-along, a reindeer petting event at the library, and reduced admission to dress rehearsal for The Nutcracker ballet.

Also, look for opportunities to volunteer at a performance in exchange for free admission. 

Keep It Together to Keep Cost Down

Keep a list so everything is covered, and you don’t overbuy. Early in the season, grab a small, inexpensive notebook and start a page for every person you want to give a gift to this year.

Use the page to track ideas, costs, and ordering info. My list includes a page for my husband, one for each child, my parents, in-laws, any white elephant or gifts I am to bring to extended family parties, teacher appreciation gifts, etc. You can also use this Master Christmas Checklist to organize.

What do you want your family to remember about the holidays? Will they remember the hustle and excess? Will the holiday season leave them longing for peace? Celebrate simply instead this year, knowing that Jesus already has wonderful covered this Christmas—and every Christmas.

For more tips on this topic read How to Have a Simple Christmas.

Heidi Mosher’s writings have appeared in The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, The Homeschool Minute, Her View From Home,and Crosswalk.com. She’s dreaming of a simple Christmas at home in Michigan, gathering memories with her four kids and husband. A new puppy has the family wondering whether it’s wise or not to put up a Christmas tree this year.

This article was originally posted on Little House Living in December 2023.