Christmas in the Recession

[AntePrincess]

(Originally posted in the "Don't Shoot the Messenger Thread," but it seemed like a good topic for its own thread, so here I've copied it.)

Out of curiosity, how are folks coping with the continuing recession and the upcoming holidays? Our holidays have always been pretty simple out of necessity, our business has a bit of a seasonal cycle and it's slow for us this time of year.

This year, I've been saving the white and brown paper bags that various things have come in for making rustic gift wrap with brown or green leaf rubbings on them and some old raffia for ties, with some acorns and pine cones tied on. We have been making do with shoes and socks for stockings, but this year one of my favorite quilts has just about disintegrated, so we're salvaging the good parts to sew quilted stockings from it. I've saved and cleaned larger tin cans from crushed tomatoes, punched holes in the side luminary style and we'll be packaging our cookies in them for the cookie exchanges we do with family instead of formal gift exchanges. We haven't yet done a traditional Christmas tree, either, this year we're cutting a flat pack tabletop Christmas tree out of cardboard, then decorating it with jewelry, paper crafts, and whatever we find outside that looks nice.

I kind of like doing things like this. We still have gifts, although my husband and I are more into the stockings than wrapped gifts, so we're sticking to that. Our kids' gifts were bought from charity, on sale (the Kohl's sale), so it totaled $20 for both of them.

[Mermaid02]

I always have TONS of wrap and bows... I rarely buy it though- I think it mates in the off season! LOL As far as gift budgets- I'm thinking stockings........... and one gift each that the kids REALLY want. My son wants a DSi and my daughter said she wants a new cell phone with a complete keyboard. Maybe a couple of little things. I don't see the point in TONS of stuff just to have tons of stuff. I think I'm over that. LOL

I also talked my husband into an artificial tree last year..... YEA!

[delmar411]

well the recession hasn't particularly effected us and won't either so it's Christmas as usual. We don't re-buy things like stockings since each child has a special one for themselves and we have a fake tree that we've had a for a few years so that doesn't cost us anything either. Other than gifts Christmas doesn't cost us a lot to decorate or celebrate since we have all we need already.

I think what make Christmas special to each family can still be accomplished even if they are suffering the effects of the recession. Piles of gifts aren't what make the holidays special and doing things together like cooking, baking, decorating the house or going on a drive to look at Christmas lights are very inexpensive/free activities that will build great memories.

[Liberty Belle]

Originally Posted by AntePrincess

(Originally posted in the "Don't Shoot the Messenger Thread," but it seemed like a good topic for its own thread, so here I've copied it.)

Out of curiosity, how are folks coping with the continuing recession and the upcoming holidays? Our holidays have always been pretty simple out of necessity, our business has a bit of a seasonal cycle and it's slow for us this time of year.

This year, I've been saving the white and brown paper bags that various things have come in for making rustic gift wrap with brown or green leaf rubbings on them and some old raffia for ties, with some acorns and pine cones tied on. We have been making do with shoes and socks for stockings, but this year one of my favorite quilts has just about disintegrated, so we're salvaging the good parts to sew quilted stockings from it. I've saved and cleaned larger tin cans from crushed tomatoes, punched holes in the side luminary style and we'll be packaging our cookies in them for the cookie exchanges we do with family instead of formal gift exchanges. We haven't yet done a traditional Christmas tree, either, this year we're cutting a flat pack tabletop Christmas tree out of cardboard, then decorating it with jewelry, paper crafts, and whatever we find outside that looks nice.

I kind of like doing things like this. We still have gifts, although my husband and I are more into the stockings than wrapped gifts, so we're sticking to that. Our kids' gifts were bought from charity, on sale (the Kohl's sale), so it totaled $20 for both of them.

What does that mean? A charity donated your kids' gifts? If so, why did it cost you $20? I'm confused.

You have great ideas. I think I'm going to do the soup can luminaries to decorate our front walk.

I think we'll just have to talk to the boys and explain things will be a bit tight this year. We'll still be able to get them gifts, but no cell phones, computers, etc, like they got in the past.

[wdwfan16]

We will have a normal for us Christmas. We have an artificial tree, lights and ornaments already. Year ago I bought red and green quilted material. I made DH and myself our stocking that we have used ever since. I way over estimated how much material I would need so I had plenty to make the kids stockings when they came along.

I buy gifts when during the year but only if I know it is a great gift for the person. I will do my best to get it as cheap as possible but I will pay full price for the perfect gift. I would estimate we are about 1/2 done with our gifts.

[MrsPooh]

My kids have special stockings handmade by grandma years ago so we always use them - dh and I don't get stockings ourselves. Our artificial tree was handed down to us nearly 20 years ago from my in-laws. It is from the 1960s and is held together in places with superglue and string but once it is decorated it looks beautiful. All of our other decorations we've had for years so we don't spend anything on them.

I buy wrapping paper at a "secret" store after Christmas about once every three years. It is on huge rolls. I think it is remants from a paper manufacturer. Last year I got a huge roll of Disney Princess holiday paper - huge as in about the same as 30 rolls of regular giftwrap for about $1. I buy tape on sale and don't end up spending much on it. I've had bows for years that I bought for $.09/bag.

I make inexpense, easy to make candy as small gifts for the miscellaneous people on our lists.

Our family budget has been in recession for about four years ever since I was ill so we're great at making things stretch. I usually fill the large stockings for under $10. I get candy clearance after Halloween and get personal care items free or nearly free as the main fillers. The girls love it. Dh and I don't exchange gifts usually or just something inexpensive. I try to get the girls each a new shirt or sweater, a book and something fun. Last year youngest dd's gifts total cost was under $20 but I did spend about $50 each on the two older girls but they usually need the clothes anyway. I try to find great deals on things so they usually each get four or five gifts. For example, last year I got two cds my dd wanted for only $3 after using a gc I earned online and the other dd wanted movies so I got her a bunch of the $2 ones from Walmart on Black Friday.

This year will be much the same although I hope to spend a bit less. We don't do video games or other expensive items.

We've had expensive holidays and inexpensive holidays but sharing our love with each other is what makes Christmas special, not the amount spent.

[rumrunnergirl]

I think the OP means she bought them stuff at a thrift store or charity store.


Thankfully a few years ago I instituted the "three gifts just like Jesus got" rule and I manage to do those three plus three stocking stuffers at under $50 per child. I always have bows and paper bought during after Christmas sales from earlier years, so I just rotate that.

I also shop all year long, so we've never got caught in the "gee, it's the holiday season and we have no money for gifts" routine. My kids don't get gobs on their birthdays either. I try to steer clear of "stuff" and focus more on making memories. We are not trendy and I don't care if everyone else's kids have cell phones, LOL. We also buy for Operation Christmas Child and local Angel Trees and I try to keep my kids aware all year long about those who have absolutely nothing, so that my kids know how lucky they are to live in the USA and have a working parent.

So - that's how we do it and it works for us.

[AntePrincess]

Originally Posted by Liberty Belle

What does that mean? A charity donated your kids' gifts? If so, why did it cost you $20? I'm confused.

No, no, that was terribly worded wasn't it? I meant I bought the gifts from the Kohl's charity fundraiser, the one selling the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie..." books and stuffed animals for $5 apiece. Normally the books and stuffed animals would be somewhere between $10-15 at retail. My daughter happens to love those books, and I couldn't think of anything in particular that would please a one month old, so I figured a book and stuffed animal were kind of a promise of spending time reading to them.

[Liberty Belle]

Originally Posted by AntePrincess

No, no, that was terribly worded wasn't it? I meant I bought the gifts from the Kohl's charity fundraiser, the one selling the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie..." books and stuffed animals for $5 apiece. Normally the books and stuffed animals would be somewhere between $10-15 at retail. My daughter happens to love those books, and I couldn't think of anything in particular that would please a one month old, so I figured a book and stuffed animal were kind of a promise of spending time reading to them.

Oooh, ok. That's a great gift. I love classic books with stuffed animals to go with it.

[Liberty Belle]

Originally Posted by rumrunnergirl

I think the OP means she bought them stuff at a thrift store or charity store.


Thankfully a few years ago I instituted the "three gifts just like Jesus got" rule and I manage to do those three plus three stocking stuffers at under $50 per child. I always have bows and paper bought during after Christmas sales from earlier years, so I just rotate that.

I also shop all year long, so we've never got caught in the "gee, it's the holiday season and we have no money for gifts" routine. My kids don't get gobs on their birthdays either. I try to steer clear of "stuff" and focus more on making memories. We are not trendy and I don't care if everyone else's kids have cell phones, LOL. We also buy for Operation Christmas Child and local Angel Trees and I try to keep my kids aware all year long about those who have absolutely nothing, so that my kids know how lucky they are to live in the USA and have a working parent.

So - that's how we do it and it works for us.

That's a great idea!

[pixie921]

Things will be *very* modest at our house this year, as my dh lost his job last month. Fortunately, we're not really big spenders at Christmas anyway and our son is 16, so it's not like we have a little one expecting Santa to come through with lots of gifts even if they were told mom and dad can't.

[Grumpy's Gal]

go to your local newspaper and ask for an "end roll." It's a partial roll of newsprint that isn't big enough for them to print newspapers on.

It's not big enough for them but my end roll was about 100 feet long or more.

The kids can color on it and you can use it for gift wrap.

[Justsyd2]

Our house is Christmas as usual as far as gifts go. I always plan ahead so I have all ready purchased over 3/4 of our Christmas presents. I do this every year.

We lost everything we had in a flood 2 years ago, so we have replaced our tree and stockings, and we're working on collecting ornaments again.

We save the paper Christmas tote bags and reuse them for gifts, and I buy tissue wrap when Walgreens has it on sale 4 pkgs for $1.

After losing all that we had, we pretty much make the holidays all about family and good food.

[kawing123]

I have been trying for years to really cut down on Christmas. Grandparents make the two kids think of such high expectations at Christmas it has been hard. For instance, my twenty something oldest wanted an IPOD last year. I was going to purchase one, but during that time she lost her job and requested money instead. I had already purchased her one half year of contacts the other half year of contacts was a birthday gift. Her exam plus year supply was hundreds of dollars. She received a food basket and personal item basket filled with so much from us as well as fifty dollars and a few sweaters. On Christmas morning, grandparents came over and said well let me see your IPOD, of course she did not have one to show and Grandma said well I feel like I missed Christmas. This put a complete damper on the day as my oldest child must have felt like why she did not receive this gift. She received the IPOD after Christmas from non other than Grandparents. This year I refuse to have them over on that day we will have to celebrate before or after the holdiays. I cannot stand their need to think that gifts or many gifts are a must. Whatever one feels, is the best. Their rudeness will never be forgotton.

[AntePrincess]

Originally Posted by rumrunnergirl

Thankfully a few years ago I instituted the "three gifts just like Jesus got" rule and I manage to do those three plus three stocking stuffers at under $50 per child. I always have bows and paper bought during after Christmas sales from earlier years, so I just rotate that.

We don't happen to follow any particular formulas for gift giving, but I've heard of a few cute ones like the "Victorian" one for four gifts: “one you want, one you need, one to wear and one to read.” I've heard the three gifts one referred to as "the Magi tradition." Then I know a lot of households that do either one gift per person and that's it, or one gift per person plus a gift for the whole family.

If I have any "rule," it's about who I give gifts to outside of our own home: no gifts for anyone we don't see regularly socially (letter writing and phone calls count, especially for far-flung relatives). I almost always favor home-made foods for gifts.