Money Free/Cheap Christmas

[UntamedRose]

Wasnt really sure where else I could possibly post this one... WR seems like it's got plenty of creative mom's and grandmothers so maybe you will have some good ideas.

Do to some unexpected expenses....the Christmas budget got cut...like a lot. 0o Plus b/c we are military family and hubby is deploying again...Christmas is coming early like Dec 4th for us.
(not an ebegging, ya we will be ok...just cant dish out money on Wii's kinda thing)

So I needs ideas....got a hubby, an 8 year old daughter, and a 22 month old to get presents for. Rest of the family n friends I can give glass gifts

Thinking I could trade my glass art for stuffs, not really sure where I could do that though.

Any ideas??

 

[CES]

The gifts that you make yourself will always be the ones that are treasured (except for maybe the 22 mo old- but the little one will be happy with the packaging ). One year I threw pottery "hot chocolate" cups for my nephews and carved their names in them- they really loved them, even the one that was 15 at the time.

For your hubby it should be something that will help him hold you close while he's gone, but easy to take with him (yeah- i know, not much help).

Would a gift of time and doing something together be something for the 8 yr old? Some sort of really cool coupon book of adventures with mom?

i love the idea of trading the glass, are there any local artisans or a artists coop in your area?

 

[Loveridden]

Black Friday? I have done black friday many years because it is a cheaper alternative. Be prepared to scour the sales papers for what you want and the best deals, and get up really early.

 

[Mary Kay]

For the kids go to wal-mart or K-mart now and do a few small toys on lay-a-way. Arts and craft projects for the 8 year old that you guys can do together. For hubby a small e-picture frame, the small ones like 3x5 are fairly cheap..he can carry a lot of pictures around with that. I have a keychain one and love it! A telephone card. Does he have a camera?

 

[hairball]

Have you tried selling your glass stuff on eBay or iOffer? It would make you a few extra bucks. I do it around early Nov...I sell oldtime radio shows but right now it's only on iOffer. Makes me a few extra dollars to help pay for my daughter's gas to and from college. I gear up with eBay next month to help with presents but like yourself, this year is going to be inexpensive.

 

[UntamedRose]

plan on making some stuff

black friday...idk lol I did that last year got some great deals yes..but still spent way more then I should have then. sucker for a sale...will buy anything if its a decent deal. Best to just stay way lol.

like the photo key chain idea. found a 10.00 one on amazon sounds like a win

eBay or iOffer..I have not tried yet. Just opened a shop on etsy and have had a few sales no where near what I'd like them to be though. I'd link but that would be pushing the whole self promotion thing...get me in trouble again with CW

 

[Fudgey]

What MK said sounds like a great idea!

I made some cute little hand puppets out of felt material one year for the kids when they were 2 and 4....they loved them!

 

[keyzygirl]

For the little one you can get alot of Dollar store stuff and they will be happy.Even for the 8yr old they have alot of crafty things and girly nail stuff and body spray stuff.Bubbles and bubble bath.Tubby toys and silly string.I had alot of low budget Christmases with my kids and we still had a blast.The dollar store is your friend!Also clearance stuff on line at Kmart and Walmart.You can make them feel like they got alot with very little money spent.

 

[cags]

For the little one you can get alot of Dollar store stuff and they will be happy.Even for the 8yr old they have alot of crafty things and girly nail stuff and body spray stuff.Bubbles and bubble bath.Tubby toys and silly string.I had alot of low budget Christmases with my kids and we still had a blast.The dollar store is your friend!Also clearance stuff on line at Kmart and Walmart.You can make them feel like they got alot with very little money spent.

one year when I was little my aunt did this. she got a lot of little under a dollar stuff (ok, it was 48 yrs ago) and sent us each our own box. I loved it and well, I still remember it 48 yrs later. my parents didn't have a lot and had 4 kids. my mom would wrap everything separate. if we got socks, she wrapped each one so we had LOTS to unwrap. in my younger days I had a very poor year so I got cheap ($1 or $2 each) calendars for each of my siblings and parent. I put everyone's birthdays, anniversery's, etc on them. everyone loved it so much I still do it and now send them to my grown nieces and nephews too

 

[glowgirl]

My favorite cheap and fun gifts to give:

handmade stilts for kids (My husband makes the wood part then I paint them in fun colors or animal stripes) costs about 5 bucks in wood and last forever.

Handmade puppet stages for kids with sock puppets. A simple wood or cardboard cut out with curtains on a string. As a bonus let them paint the "stage" with tempura paints.

Powerpoint presentations with pics and music for grown ups. Something that shows lot of pics and messages of time shared, good tune. They are really run to watch and the giftee can keep them on their computer for whenever they want a quick mood lift. Free but always really appreciated. If I could put a powerpoint up here I would show you the one I just made for my husband..

Refrigerator magnets made out of old costume jewelry. You just glue magnets on the backs of pretty jewels or settings, they are so pretty and make your fridge look bedazzled. I always buy those dollar bags of junk jewelry at rummage sales and thrift stores.

On a side note I always tell everyone close to me that no gifts are allowed unless they are 1)second hand 2) homemade.

 

[keyzygirl]

LOL!! I did that too! I got big packages of sox and undies opened them and wrapped each separate and everytime they opened one they laughed.It was fun!


and we made stompers from coffee cans and string.They had a blast stomping around,LOL!Thank you guys for reminding me about all this stuff.Lots of funny memories.

 

[Pamdane]

Try selling your stuff on Etsy. They used to have a place where you could trade what you make for things others make. I think my shop is still up, or at least findable online- Custom Crochet. See if you like anything. I'll gladly trade.

 

[Prettycat191]

If you think your 8 year old might like some of my stuff (my 10 and 8 year olds love them), maybe we could set up a trade. I think your stuff is beautiful! I favorited you on Etsy the other day, if you look in people who favorited your shop you'll find me. I can also make custom items if you want specific things or colors. If it's easier, I can add you to my circle so you can find me. Feel free to say no of course, I prefer to be told no over being .....-footed around.

 

[rkayw]

I have purchased expensive gifts for grandkids, along with very inexpensive stocking stuffers. Ya know what they played with the most?? Small dollar store slinkies that was in their stockings!! They had a blast with them. The bigger more expensive things laid on the floor ignored. LOL.

Find things that interest & amuse them.

 

[DMF]

Someone mentioned second hand.
Last christmas, we were in that boat. I went to the local charity thrift shop and shopped there daily for donated items that were new or newish. I was able to get some very nice toys for my grandbabies and some nice clothes and household items for other members of the family. All in all I spent less than 40. which since we were laid off was the maximum I could spend outside of bills.

Another year, I had hubby cut out patterns of wood and I painted and stained them for extended family members. Children got doll beds made of wood and wagons.

As far as something for your hubby, how bout stitching together a small blanket made of some of your old clothes? Cut small squares of fabric and it can be either stitched on the machine or hand stitched. Make one patch larger than the rest if you do needlework and stitch a personal message for him, or sew on a pocket from your jeans and insert a personal letter folded inside.

Really the eight yo is the only one who will be looking for a shiny new toy under the tree. So if you have to, put away a dollar a day/week between now and the end of nov and use that for the 8yo's present.

 

[rkayw]

Some kids, not all, but some have lost the meaning. If they ever knew it to begin with. Adults too. I was one of them.

It's too commercialized anymore. Buy buy buy.

I love to see kids smile as much as anyone, and I do spoil my grandbabies when I can. But that slinky Christmas reminded me that it's not always about how much you get/give, or the price of it. I too had forgotten that! It was a fun and welcomed reminder from the very little ppl that I desperately wanted to please.

Find other things to do on Christmas also, the gift of time never disappoints.

Get your 8 y/o books maybe? Does she like to read, or put together puzzles? Inexpensive gifts that will also nourish her mind & for times she can't go outside in winter weather.

My oldest daughter use to love to do puzzles, then after she had them all put together, we would clear coat them and she could hang them on her wall.

 

[classwife]

yep...hand made gifts from the heart for the big guys...you can't beat what you have going with the glass !

Your 8 year old daughter...dollar sotres...hair clips, ribbons, craft things to do.
The coupon book is a great thing too..."This coupon entitles you to 1 trip to McDonalds"...to the park...nail painting session by Mom....dress up make over by Mom...making cookies...throw in a few hugs and kisses coupons too.

The 22mo. old is still at a good stuffed animal age...big bag of building blocks.

 

[rkayw]

This reminds me of one Christmas when my kids were little. We too were broke broke that year. For one of their gifts each...I found big sturdy cardboard boxes at appliance store (free) and made little playhouses with them. Cheap paint, some cheap or used material for curtains. Really dressed them up and personalized them. They played in those forEVER!! LOL. They used their imagination more playing in those then I had seen in a long time.

Cardboard boxes!!! Who woulda thought.

 

[Pamdane]

Another idea: Go to craft store clearance area, and get acrylic paint and fabric markers, tacky glue and glitter. You can really do fun stuff with her clothes. And it makes great weekend projects when you have bad weather. When we go out walking in the local park, we look for rocks to take home and paint. I also go a cheap popcicle maker, took their old broken crayons and microwaved them a few minutes at a time while mixing with a chop stick to make fun multi color, new thicker crayons. We have lots of cheap fun. You could go out and get a few boxes of pasta and string for the little one, beads for the 8 year old. Or just make her glass pellets with holes to string for jewelry....