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Step 1
Draw names for gift giving. Instead of giving everyone gifts on the list, draw from a list of names. Put a limit on the amount that anyone is allowed to spend on any one gift so that the cost won't be a stretch for anyone in the bunch. Another way to do this is to count the number of school aged children and split these between households or adults. Draw names between the adults or families for the kids - but no fair buying for your own. Choose a dollar amount to stick to, to make things equal so that no one will say that things are unfair. If some members are more well-heeled and want to buy their kids something extra, they can do so at home.
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Step 2
Have a homemade bake-off Christmas. Have each family bake or buy something really special that would serve everyone one piece. Instead of pies, make small tarts, for example. When everyone gathers, they can take home a big plate of assorted goodies from everyone else. You can add recipes to the mix. too. Have each person email their recipe and have one person type them all up together and print out enough for everyone. Have each family just buy their own children something small at home and keep this day only about the goodies for gifts. Children can use small plastic sandwich bags and put a few pieces of candy or gum in each one so they can take part. They can also draw covers for the recipe sheets.
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Step 3
Skip the Christmas cards and send emails and make phone calls, which are far nicer anyway. Wrap gifts in the comic pages from the newspaper, in leftover fabric scraps (if you sew), or in brown paper bags that you stamp or paint on yourself to save a bundle. Get a free end roll from the local newspaper and let kids color on it and use that for free wrap. Decorate with pine cones, acorns or whatever outdoor items you have around the yard. Use end rolls for tablecloths and let the kids decorate them, too.
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Step 4
Read the papers before you nail down your menu. At the holidays, everyone puts the traditional fare on sale, and sometimes there's quite a difference in the prices between stores. There are also lots of coupons for items used in traditional holiday baking and meals. Save on foods with a simple menu that everyone contributes to. If you want a big turkey dinner, plan the menu with the other family members (don't go overboard!) and ask if they will all chip in for the meal. Although leftovers are great, don't buy more than you need if you want to cut down. Buy lots of the cheapest foods like potatoes, rolls and stuffing or dressing which are really filling. Pick one or two desserts such as pumpkin pie and chocolate cake, and get vanilla ice cream so the kids will be happy. Serve drinks that are inexpensive and go a long ways. Iced tea, children's powdered drink mix, and water with lemon are all affordable. Make the tea and the drink mix for the kids with red and green ice cubes.
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Step 5
Plan a Christmas potluck where everyone brings a piece of the holiday dinner. Just add up how many items you want to serve and have people volunteer and bring whatever they'd like to share. Whoever does the big things, like the turkey, can bring just one thing. Others who do small things such as tea, olives and pickles, could bring several. If members don't want to participate in the preparation, they can donate the things that are just purchased and not made, such as cranberries, napkins, pickles and soft drinks.
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Step 6
Host a Happy Birthday Baby Jesus Christmas. For religious families, this is a beautiful way to teach children what Christmas is all about. Everyone can write down the things they are thankful for, the things they love the most about their faith, or their favorite poem, experience or scripture verse. They can even make coupons for the good deeds they want to do in the new year for the Lord, such as volunteering, visiting others, hosting a Bible study or giving books to the church library. Thank-you notes to family members that the Lord has given us can be written down or shared. You can sing carols, listen to Christmas music or watch favorite Christmas shows. This can be a beautiful entire day of dreams, future plans and gratitude that everyone will remember much longer than presents.
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Step 7
Bring Christmas joy to others. Volunteer as a whole family to serve Christmas dinner at a homeless shelter. Go and sing Christmas carols at local nursing homes. Bring dog biscuits and treats to the dogs and cats at the nearest animal shelter, or bring holiday plates to the local police officers, firemen, or hospital workers who aren't home for the holidays. You can have a simple dinner at home for Christmas Eve and still do these things. It teaches everyone to share with others. If you know anyone who is alone at the holidays, open your home to him and serve a simpler meal so you can include him.
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Step 8
Think about a family focus. For animal lovers, you could all get together to collect some old blankets, newspapers and pillows for the animals. You could also all chip in to give a nice donation, which wouldn't cost nearly as much as giving gifts to everyone. To get everyone in on the plan, think about a cause you all have in common.The family could support a foundation for an illness that runs in the family or a school athletic department where the kids have all played. Choose something the family has strong feelings about to get people involved. Choose to sponsor a needy child through a church angel tree or other holiday gift giving program. Small children can help to choose the gifts and even donate some of the change from their piggy banks. Shop together for the children you sponsor and help your children to understand the concept of charity and the poverty of others. Allow the children to make personalized homemade Christmas cards for the kids so that they have a personal contribution as well.
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Step 9
Start a family tradition of loving. When you're done with dinner, start a circle game of "I love you because..." and have each person say something nice about other family members. This is free and a lovely thing to share. You can also put each person's name into a box and wrap it up so that you have to pick a box and then whoever it in it, you have to talk about their best qualities, kindest acts, and the cutest things they ever said or did as children. You can make up whatever topics fits your family. Let these kinds words be recorded and have someone type them all out later to be given to each person or just start a new tape for each one and give them to that person. The blessings of your family are worth so much more than presents.
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Step 10
Cut back on Christmas by shifting the focus on overindulging in food and overspending for gifts. Talk to your family about bringing back some simplicity, some sharing, some faith and family love into the holidays and starting some traditions that are uplifting and free this year. Isn't all of that what Christmas is supposed to be about? With a little cooperation, you can greatly reduce expenses and have a wonderful day that your family will remember forever.
