Why not go frugal with your Christmas traditions in 2024?
We’ve put together some fun and simple Christmas traditions for you and your family to try. This year is the year to give that wallet a break!
1. Instead of buying an advent calendar, make your own.
Advent calendars can be expensive, especially if you have more than one family. If you make a DIY version, you can reuse it year after year and save money. Our hip buddy Lina shared with us a budget-friendly idea: a DIY hanging treat bag wooden advent calendar. Enjoy the countdown to Christmas at a cute and affordable price.
Like my hip buddy Emily, consider turning an advent calendar into a gift to check off two things at once.
A DIY gift basket advent calendar makes a wonderful, thoughtful, and unique gift. Instead of traditional chocolates and trinkets, you can fill each day with small, meaningful items and handwritten notes that reflect the recipient’s interests. The options are endless. Our hip buddy Emily gives gifts to couples and designates alternate days for each person.
This advent calendar requires some advance planning, so grab Emily’s free printable advent calendar to get started.
2. Instead of buying matching pajamas for your family, buy matching socks!
Buying pajamas for the whole family can be quite expensive. If buying matching new pajamas for everyone isn’t in your budget, consider cozy socks for the whole family.
Every year, Old Navy has festive options for all sizes. Plus, they’re almost always available on sale.
Tip: If you want to wait for matching jammies, consider waiting until after the holiday season and save them for next year.
3. Instead of giving gifts to everyone in your extended family, organize a gift exchange.
Let’s all pull names out of a hat or use websites like Elfster to create new frugal Christmas traditions. As the holiday season begins, exchanging gifts with the whole family becomes fun, different, and exciting. Plus, you never know who will be shopping for you, which makes it even more thrilling. Best of all, you can stay within a budget that makes everyone happy. It’s a win-win!
Check out these easy and frugal Christmas gift wrapping techniques to make your gifts really stand out this year.
Tip: The 4 gift rules are a genius way to simplify gift giving to your immediate family.
4. Instead of gifts, skip them altogether and adopt a family!
Now, more families than ever across America need our help. Whether your kids are older or your immediate family no longer needs anything, skipping gifts altogether and focusing instead on families in need can be more meaningful than anything you’ve ever bought. Remember, it can be something.
Call your local shelter or connect with families through your local school or church. Either way, you can be as frugal as you like with this idea, or donate things you already have and don’t need. A comment from Hip2Save reader Melissa. This simple Christmas tradition has had a huge impact on her family over the years.
“Teach your kids the real reason for this season! I’ve always taught my daughters to give (all year round), and one of the Christmas activities we always do together is , is about adopting families in need.We buy Christmas trees, decorations, gas cards, gifts, household/toiletries, and anything else they need.
We then gather for a “wrapping party” so everyone can feel and see how we are impacting other families’ holidays. Load it all up and deliver it to your family. This long-standing tradition is much more meaningful to us than stressing about moving the elf or making sure the pajamas match. ” – Melissa, Hip Reader
5. Instead of buying gifts for your neighbors…hand out cute bags of hot cocoa!
Who said cute reindeer hot chocolate bags can’t be gifts?! Make a few of these and hand them out to your neighbors and you’ll be sure to save money this year. It’s cheaper than a bag of marshmallows, chocolate chips, or hot cocoa, so you might be able to gift one to each family member!
Need clear bags to make these cuties? This 100-pack is available on Amazon for less than $8.
6. Instead of sending Christmas cards to your family, record a Christmas video!
There are many ways to save money when ordering Christmas cards, but the cost of stamps alone can add up if you’re sending Christmas cards to a large group. Plus, the videos are more fun for families, unique for viewers, and just more personal. And hello, it’s a super frugal Christmas tradition to start this year because it’s completely free!
Simply upload your fun family videos to Facebook or other social media platforms for selected friends and family to see. Even better, you can create even more personal videos for each recipient and send them via email or text.
7. Instead of making your own pumpkin pie, buy your favorite pre-made pie at the store.
In fact, it’s more affordable (and time-saving!) to buy pre-made pies at Costco or Sam’s Club than to buy the ingredients and make your own. Our hip recipe blogger, Lina, sampled the Costco/Sam’s Club pumpkin pie and said the store-bought version was just as delicious. Top with homemade whipped cream, or if you want it to taste fresh from the oven, transfer it to a pie plate.
Last year, a reader told me this about Costco’s pumpkin pie:
“Pumpkin pie from Costco was just requested for a family dinner, and I have to say it tastes better than any homemade pie I’ve had growing up. I grew up eating lots of delicious homemade pies from my grandma, mom, and aunts. That’s a good thing considering!” – Mallory
8. Instead of hosting a big family dinner, do a dessert swap!
Why not skip the expensive dinner and enjoy the best part of the meal? Dessert! This simple Christmas tradition allows everyone to bring their favorite treats and enjoy some quality holiday time.
Go to Dessert Recipes and check out the recipes we offer.
Bonus idea: Go see the magical Christmas lights!
Not only is this idea frugal, it can be virtually free.
To celebrate with your loved ones, take a drive around town to find the best Christmas lights. Not only will it get you in the Christmas spirit, but if you have kids, it will make the holiday season even more magical.
Best of all, it will probably become a tradition everyone will look back on and cherish forever. ❤️
Most importantly, Christmas is not about money, but about time spent together.
There’s no reason not to upend expensive traditions in favor of new memory-making experiences. It might be the thing you look forward to the most each season.
Come here for all things Christmas!
