The Christmas season can be one of the best times to celebrate with your family. However, the holiday itself can be one of the priciest of the year. Luckily, there are lots of great things that you can do for Christmas that won’t leave you feeling like your budget is too stretched. These ten ideas will make sure you have the fun you deserve during the holiday without having to stress out over money, as many will cost you next to nothing.

1. Decorate
Decorating can bring so much joy to the holiday season, and it doesn’t have to cost you a small fortune. You might start by using the items you already own. As long as you’re using LED lights, you should be able to decorate without it bringing your energy bill up too much. Also, make sure to turn your lights off at a certain hour, so you won’t have to pay for the lights being on for hours at a time. This can help you to create joy without waste. If you’re shy about decorations then you might surf your local thrift store for deals, as they tend to have many throughout the season. You can also make your own fun DIY decorations. There are numerous ideas online if you’re not sure where to begin.

2. Bake
Baking can help to bring some seasonal cheer to the mix. With the weather getting colder, it might also be a cheaper way to keep your home a little warmer since you will need the oven on to bake. Baking can be a simple way to keep everyone busy and satisfied instead of going out and spending money. You can even choose items that will cater to your home’s weekly menu or use recipes with ingredients that you already have in the home. There are even apps that will help you find recipes when you enter in the ingredients that you have. If you’re worried about pricier ingredients, there are numerous alternatives to check out so you can easily find what you need to make your favorite baked goods.

3. Enjoy Holiday Lights
During this time of year, there are lots of great holiday lights to see. If you want to lift your holiday spirits take a quick walk around your neighborhood or go for a quick drive so you can check out all of the lights near you. Most communities will also have light shows that you can check out for free or at a low price. You might check out what is going on in your community as well as the communities around you. This can help entertain the little ones as well, especially if the light show allows you to walk through the area.

4. DIY Gifts
Christmas is about generosity, but so many people struggle to get the gifts they need for their families, not to mention those outside the home. You can still gift without spending a fortune though. You might start your gifting journey with some holiday crafts. There are so many holiday crafts to choose from, such as snow globes or ornaments, that you will definitely not have a hard time finding ideas. If you don’t want to gift something holiday-themed, then consider using your talents to create something. You might draw or paint a picture, write a song or a poem, knit something, and so much more. These DIY gifts will especially be appreciated as they require a lot more thought than just purchasing something.

5. Holiday Movies
Holidays are a lot more fun when it comes to holiday movies. You can find so many holiday movies on this time of the year that your biggest problem might be deciding which to watch. Most streaming services will offer an abundance of options. However, if you’re not subscribed to anything, you can find television guides to help you choose what to watch. There are also many streaming options on free websites like YouTube, which can help you save money while reconnecting you with your childhood favorites.

6. Story Time
There are so many magical holiday stories to choose from, which makes storytime a great time to make the holidays magical. If you have Christmas books in the home, then you might stop to read them during downtimes to help bring some joy to children. You might also find that local libraries and bookstores are going to be reading holiday stories more often. If you are staying in then you can find a wide assortment of story times online, which can help occupy children for some time.

7. Send Out Cards
Nothing spreads joy quite like sending out holiday cards. So, sharing your cards with others might be a great way to enjoy the holiday season even more. You can purchase bulk boxes of cards for just a few dollars, which will definitely help to make it affordable to share your message with friends. However, if you want to save money and have a little fun then you might consider making DIY cards. To cut back on spending consider handing out all of the cards that you can. You can also make digital cards to suit your needs, which can make life a lot easier and eco-friendlier.

8. Throw a Party
Hosting a Christmas party might seem like an expensive thing to do. However, you don’t have to go all out. Your home will probably already be decorated, so you’ve already checked one item off the party list. Holiday music is easy to come by for free online too, which will allow you to set the mood and inspire everyone to get up and dance as a form of entertainment. If you have board games, then set them out as well, but you can also find free games online that will make great forms of entertainment too. Other than that, you can ask people to bring snacks and drinks so everyone has refreshments that they can enjoy. You really don’t need much more for a party. However, if you want to spice it up, have everyone bring a Secret Santa gift, which can be used to play games or just bring joy to guests.

9. Consider Drawing Names
If you come from a large family that likes to exchange gifts, you are probably facing a pretty big budget problem. One way to remedy this big-budget holiday is to ask everyone if they would be willing to draw names. This will allow you to just purchase gifts for the people that your family drew, which can really help to cut back on your spending substantially. Going this route can allow you to put more time and thought into the person you drew as well, which can make the gift-giving experience a lot more fun.

10. Check out Parades
Holiday parades are definitely going to add to the fun of the season. So, if you’re looking for a little Christmas joy, you might look up when your town’s parade will take place. If you live in a smaller community, then you might also look into the community options of surrounding areas. More often than not, you will find that the parades won’t take place at the same time, which will allow you to enjoy even more parades. You can also check out parades online, to add even more cheer to the season. No matter how you enjoy the parade, don’t get the holiday-inspired snacks to add to the fun.

The Christmas season doesn’t have to be filled with pricey productions and activities. These ten ideas will help to occupy your time while allowing you to have some fun with the family. You are certain to make some amazing memories while helping to keep children from getting too bored during their holiday break.