8 Ways to save on Holiday Traditions ...

1. Put up a Fake Tree

There’s nothing that I love more than the smell of fresh pine, but buying a real tree every year can get expensive. Instead, buy a fake tree that you can save and re-use for years to come. This is an excellent tip for how to save during holidays. Fake trees are quick and easy to assemble, much less messy, and you will get fewer pine-needle pokes! If you miss the scent of a real tree, try burning a tree-scented candle or tree-scented potpourri.

2. Save on Stamps

There’s no doubt that sending Christmas cards is a huge part of Christmas tradition! You don’t have to skip this lovely tradition if money is tight this year. Instead, why not send electronic Christmas cards? You can email your Christmas greetings out and save a few stamps. If you don’t like the idea of not sending out tangible Christmas cards, then go ahead and hand deliver your well wishes. You can give out cards as you see your friends and family, or designate one afternoon simply for handing out your cards! Another option? Send Christmas postcards, which cost less to mail than other cards.

3. Gift-Giving

There a number of ways you can save on gift giving. You can get your siblings, friends, or co-workers to split up the costs of gifts for parents, mutual friends, or your boss. Name drawing, Secret Santa, or homemade gifts are a few other ideas to consider. And one more thing to remember when buying gifts, especially for older children; one or two nicer/more expensive gifts are usually preferred over four or five smaller and cheaper gifts.

4. Have a Cookie Swap

What would Christmas be without lots of baked goodies? Buying all the ingredients can add up rapidly, so here’s my suggestion: organize a cookie swap with your friends! Each of you can bring one or two dozen of your favorite Christmas goodie with the recipe. Then, divide all the cookies and recipes up evenly to take home! Now you have a bunch of delicious cookies to try out, at less the price. You’ll likely get a good variety with this method too!

5. Skip the Theater

Around the Christmas season, it can be tempting to go and see what’s playing in the theaters, but if you skip this option you can save a lot of moo-lah. Instead, check to see what programs your local church, or library, or community centers and schools are hosting! If there are none to your liking, why not organize one with your neighborhood or play group? Children will love to get involved with putting on a small skit and it will be a fun activity to participate in.

6. Make Your Own Gift-Wrap

Wrapping paper can get expensive so why not make your own? Using plain white paper, you can take a stamp set and make it really festive! If you don’t already own a stamp set, you will need to purchase one, but then you will have it on hand for years to come. A large roll of white paper will likely last you for several Christmas seasons, and maybe a few craft projects in between. When you compare the price of wrapping paper for only a small amount on one roll, you’ll see that the better value lies in regular paper!

7. Skip Christmas Candles

I love to burn Christmas candles with the rest of them, but candles can be surprisingly expensive. So here’s another way to scent your home for the holidays, at less than a fraction of the price. In a small pot, add a little water, a drop of vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon. Now, leave it sitting on your stove on low heat, and the aroma of Christmas will fill your home throughout the day! Just watch that the pot doesn’t dry out, which could be a fire hazard.

8. Carpool

Do you live close to your family or do you have a little bit of a distance to drive to visit them? When the holidays arrive and it’s time to gather at Grandma’s for some ham and pie, why not carpool with other relations if you have longer than 20 minutes or so to drive? It will help save on gas, especially when you have multiple family outings over the season.

There’s my list for ways to save during the holiday season! What tips would you add? Is there anything that you do to help save money during the Christmas season? I love hearing from my readers, so please don’t hesitate to comment below!