Save Your Sanity and Your Budget With a “Make Under” Christmas

Does the hustle and bustle of the holiday season make you cringe a little?  Are you so busy that prepping for Christmas that it feels more like a chore than a joy?  Or do want to simply scale back this year and keep things simple?

A “make under” Christmas may be the answer to both slowing down and saving money in the process. Try these suggestions for an effortless, unadorned and down-to-earth Christmas this year without having to say “Bah Humbug”.

Dinner:

Instead of the fancy, over-the-top family dinner that takes days to prepare, have a potluck with your family. If you as each member bring a simple dish to pass, you just reduced both your cost and your workload without having any effect on the happiness of the day or the quality of the meal.

Presents:

If you have a large family full of aunts, uncles and cousins, streamline your gift-giving by drawing names at Thanksgiving (or assigning them via email). Have each person buy a generic boy or girl gift with a reasonable spending limit. Create a game of picking wrapped gifts, playing hot potato with them or drawing names to see who gets which present. You can do this for everyone or just the adults; either way you have fewer gifts to buy and more money to spend on other things (like paying off credit cards!)

Another alternative is to forgo buying adult gifts and have everyone bring a special treat, favorite wine, or something else to share for an after-dinner celebration.  Reserve the gift opening for the children, which can also be kept simple.  My children love getting a 99 cent Hot Wheels car as much as they do getting an elaborate gift.  For most children, it’s simply the thrill of getting something new that add to their holiday magic.

Party:

Why go to the trouble and expense of a formal party? Your friends have a ton of holiday functions, from the office to family functions. They will need to get dressed up, hire a sitter and stress over being late. Keep your function ultra-casual. Invite everyone over, with kids, on a Thursday night. Tell them you are wearing jeans and ordering pizza. For less than $100, you can buy enough pizza and 2-liters to feed all your friends and their children with no stress, little clean up and plenty of holiday cheer.

Cards:

We are all guilty of mailing our Christmas cards late. The stamps and cards add to your stretched budget. For many people, just the thought of addressing and commenting in so many cards can be overwhelming. Make it easy on yourself and send e-cards. Or, if that is too informal for you, don’t send Christmas cards. Buy festive but generic cards on sale after Christmas and start a tradition of mailing New Year’s cards in January. No rush. No stress.

Decorations:

Keep it minimal. Don’t drag box upon box of ornaments out of the attic and spend days decorating every square inch of your house. Create a dramatic display on your mantle or put a gorgeous wreath at your door. That’s it. No one will accuse you of being Scrooge. They will simply admire your unpretentious design.

Cookies:

The average person gains 5 pounds over the holidays. Save yourself the diet headache and cut back on what you bake, or don’t bake any cookies at all. You’ll save calories and the bottom line of your budget.

What else can you think of to create a memorable “Make Under” Christmas for your family this year?