Borrow Christmas videos from the library.
Like others have said, music and baking, candles and Christmas lights, Christmas stories by the tree.
Homemade gift giving. Something as simple as cooking your husband his favorite meal, or as elaborate as creating a quilt from scraps of fabric. (My daughter's favorite quilt is made from my mother and grandmother's old clothes. No real money involved, just time and energy.)
Go caroling (join a local group or make your own)! My sisters' office gets together and sings at the nursing home. My family has visited our elderly neighbors. It's lots of fun if you enjoy singing.
Decorate with cards you get in the mail. Come up with an elaborate, but cheap way to showcase them.
Look for events in your community. We have lots of cheap or free events around here. Tree lightings, live nativities (complete with cookies and hot chocolate and local choirs), wrapping/sorting gifts for the Toys for Tots program.
Play in the snow, if you get any. Find a big hill and go sledding, or just build a snowman and make snow angels.
On Christmas day, take it S-L-O-W!!! Make an elaborate (but cheap) breakfast of your favorites. Take your time opening what gifts you do have, and enjoy them. (So often we just get caught up in opening the gifts, when we could be trying things on, turning on the video, playing the music, or whatever.)
Drag out the photo album from Christmas years' past. Reminisce about your childhood Christmases!! Gives you lots to talk about, the kids will wonder why you got soooo excited over your 8-track tapes or first microwave!!!
Get out the china for a nice dinner (if you have any). It's fun to pretty up the table with candles, china, real glasses. And sit down to a slow, tasty meal. Again, the meal doesn't have to be expensive, just put some time into making it "look" expensive. Make preparation part of the day and do it together!!
Can you tell I have experience with this???
Hope it helps!
