Money Saving Tips for Christmas

Christmas Cards

1. Send Post Cards or letters on pretty paper instead of store bought cards
2. Cut your old Christmas cards from years before, cut them and half and sent the pretty side as a postcard.
3. Remember that post cards require less postage than a regular card!
4. Note for next year.....Christmas Cards go on sale in December and deeper discounts are applied after Christmas so plan ahead for next year. 

Wrapping Paper

1. For small gifts use pretty pages from magazines.
2. Comic Pages work well for wrapping gifts of all kinds, not just Chrismas.
3. Get a reem of wrapping paper and create your own wrapping paper....better yet let your children create the wrapping paper.  The recipent will recieve a gift plus the gift of art from your child.
4. Make your own gift tags by cutting a small piece of matching wrapping paper and folding it in half.  Write the “To and From” on the inside of the paper and tape it to the wrapped present. This is also great for scraps of paper that are too small to wrap a gift, but too large to toss away.
5.  Cut up old Christmas cards make wonderful gift tags too!
6.  If you sew,  use material scraps as wrapping paper or better yet sew a gift bag and give two gifts in one.

Decorations

1.  Decorate with nature! Painted or unpainted pinecones, string popcorn (add some cranberries for color), make chains from construction paper.
2.  The stores have incredible sales every year for decorations, buy close to the holiday or even better, after the holiday! 
3.  Save your children’s (or grandchildren’s) holiday crafts and artwork from school  you’ll have a houseful of free and beautiful decorations! 
4. Give the gift of one new ornament each year for each child or grandchild. 

Entertainment

 

1. Christmas movies are great, but renting videos or using Netflix is a more budget friendly option.
2. Drive around your town or another nearby town to see the Christmas Lights.  End the night with Hot Cocoa and some cookies.
3. Kids love Board Games.  If you don't have many, borrow some from friends.  Better yet trade games and both families will have a fun new holiday game to play.
4. Next to Board Games, kids love card games! 
5. Dominos is a favorite at our house!
6. SING!  Churches and groups have Christmas plays, caroling get-together and more in December.
7. Check out a Christmas book from the library and read it together as a family.  Add some songs and Hot Cocoa and it's great family fun!
8. Have a Cookie Exchange with your friends, or gather with family to decorate grandma and grandpa's house and tree, share cookies and other goodies and holiday cheer.

I think the very best thing to do as a family is to decide what you can do for others.  Vollenteer at Homeless Shelters, do something for an elderly or handicapped neighbor.  We always made gift trays of goodies for the neighbors and put it in their mail boxes!  There is no better way to teach a child the importance of Christmas!

Most of all remember that GOD sent his only son, JESUS CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, to save us from our sins and redeem us.  The price has been paid, JESUS, paid it on the cross for you!  Remember it is HIS coming so that HE could pay the ultimate sacrific for you and for me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS YOU EVERY ONE!