5 Tips for a Holiday Season on a Budget (Reflections from This Year)

This Christmas we were extra focused on paying the bills before buying presents…more so than any other year, since this year we have two littles to care of.

Sometimes it felt like a second full time job to come up with ways to be frugal while also making the holidays magical, but this season we learned “a thing or two about a thing or two,” as my husband says.

That leads me to a few good ideas I’ve seen others do or that I did that may help you have a very merry Christmas from the heart, without breaking the bank.

Homemade Chocolates

There’s a little Mennonite store down the road from us that I frequent quite often on the days my daughter spends with her grandma. Last week I found melts to put into molds I found at the dollar store, which makes a simple way to show family you were thinking of them!

Gifting Cookies

Whether they’re a family renowned homemade recipe or simply a box mix, cookies are considered a universally loved Christmas gift.

Slap those bad boys in a Christmas tin for added Christmas cheer, and you’re good to go. You don’t even have to bake them. Gifting a cookie recipe in a mason jar is also a wonderful idea.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Another idea is a homemade hot chocolate mix in a jar, along with teeny marshmallows. That lovely concoction is what my father got this Christmas from sweet student and their family.

Crochet/Knitted Items

If you know a handmade craft that will make a good Christmas, gift knock yourself out! For me, it’s definitely crochet. It really came in handy for me this year (no pun intended).

If you crochet to check out my Blanket Scarf pattern that I posted a few days ago.

Teas/Coffees

If you know someone who already enjoys tea and coffee as a simple pleasure, do not hesitate to give them these things as a gift!

Often the practical gifts are the most loved gifts as an adult. If you know, someone already loves something, take advantage of knowledge, especially since tea and coffee is an extremely inexpensive way to show someone that you care.

Beeswax Melts

If you want to learn a hobby, I highly suggest learning a hobby with beeswax. I SO enjoy working with it, because of my sweet sister-in-law giving me a run down on the beeswax basics!

This season I made a few batches of candles and waxes. I enjoyed making the waxes much more, because it was much less stress to make than the candles.

In Conclusion…

It might seem very second-hand knowledge to those who have been around the block a few times already, but to young couples starting out, I hope this post helps a little with a few ideas.

I didn’t end up using ALL of these ideas, but I was able to come up with a mixture for me that worked for my family.

I hope that any of this works to spark your creativity for future holiday season!

I hope your day was filled with family and cheer and those you hold dear.

Until next time,

Hannah