Comments on: Holidays on a budget - yes, it can still be a merry Christmas

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:48:00 +0000

When it’s a year everyone gets together or a year that there are lots of “new” adult additions to the family we pick a theme for gifts ie, movies, board games, ornaments and a $ amount. Each person that wants to be involved in the gift exchange brings one item following the theme and the amount. We then do a chinese gift exchange like Heather explained. We love the game year…it gives us lots of new games to play after supper!

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:55:36 +0000

Another idea for a large family is to play a game. Each girl buys one girl gift and each male buys one male gift. Set an agreed spending limit for the gift. Girls first, put numbers in a hat/bowl, and each lady pick one out. Whatever number they get is the number they get to pick their gift. Number 1 picks a girl gift. Number 2’s option is either to steal the gift number 1 picked or to grab one from under the tree. If they choose to steal number 1’s gift, number 1 picks another gift from under the tree. (You can’t immediately steal back from the person who stole from you.) Then, number three can steal from number one or two or pick one from under the tree. If number 3 stole from number 2, number 2 could steal from number 1, number 1 could steal from number 3, number 3 could steal from number 2, and so on. Once them three have a gift in hand, it is number 4’s turn. That keeps going till all the girls have a gift. Then, its the male’s turn. It’s a fun way to spend time with the family, it’s cheap, and everyone ends up with a gift.

By: Kathi T

Kathi T — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:35:00 +0000

A friend of mine, who comes from a very large, now grown family, puts every ones name in a hat and only buys for the person they got from the hat. They have a large party and everyone gets together and has a wonderful Christmas time eating and just being together. She is one of 13 children!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:22:28 +0000

c&m’s mom: I watch this group of kids and their ages range from 6-9. Last year for christmas we made coupon books for the parents. The materials were very cheap, we used construction paper, markers and ribon(to hold it all together). The kids really enjoyed it. They put things like I will help mommy/daddy _______. Or I will make my bed or help with my sibling. Happy Holidays!

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:08:09 +0000

My family has had no much hardship the past 3 years that we are making alot of picture gifts. You could take a picture of each child and make a ornament out of them with colored paper or you could make a hand print on brown paper and add a ribbon and make it rudolph. We have used cotton balls to make snowman and we have really had a lot of success with these gift ideas…Merry Christmas…

By: JF

JF — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:15:22 +0000

Heather, I spent a few years in Guam as I was growing up so I know the military life and that it may be hard to find or get things shipped to you without the help of someone stateside. My recommendation is to find a weighty plastic bowl. I have found a couple that i like and they wont break and don’t want to move around on me. There are also tricks like a wet paper or fabric towel under any bowl (or cutting board) to make it less likely to move around a.k.a. fall and break. Hope this helps.

By: JF

JF — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:10:18 +0000

One of my favorites I received from my 2 year old was a gold non-breakable ball ornament with my sons hand print on it (they had them grab the bottom of the ball). The fingers then were given antlers and a red ribbon added for hanging. It is a precious gift that I get to see when we decorate the tree and I enjoy telling him that he made it when he was younger. I love having an ornament that he makes each year and the hand prints are fun to watch grow.

By: Val

Val — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:14:31 +0000

Kids from age 4 and up can make frames by cutting a frame out of cardboard then gluing collages of puzzle pieces on the frame. Spray finished frame with silver metallic paint. The final product is really sharp looking, and it’s almost free to make. Sometimes, I buy ugly dollar store frames and spruce them up this way.

By: Mama Lee

Mama Lee — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:27:01 +0000

Heather - Not sure of the manufacturer, but I have found RR’s Garbage Bowl on the Kohls and Elder-Beerman websites. Might be worth a look!

By: Plan B Mom

Plan B Mom — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:31:04 +0000

c&m’s mom - i will have a blog coming soon with some great ideas for home made gifts kids can make for moms, dads and family.