A Very Frugal Christmas! Fun Without Funds

There are times in life when we experience a cash flow problem due to illnesses, job layoff, strikes or unforeseen disasters. When the money we have earned and worked so hard for just barely covers our basic living needs and plans of a wonderful Christmas celebration turns to dust leaving an overwhelming feeling of failure. We become depressed because we cannot buy the dreams we wanted so much for the family we work so hard for. You feel like giving up, but as head of the household it is up to you to provide the best you can and when you have paid all the bills, done your best and there isn't anything left for luxuries you must not give up. You may feel like a failure but only because of the ideals society has currently set for our culture to try and live up too. This is especially hard at Christmas time.

But there are ways to celebrate even in the most frugal of times, because who ever you are and where ever you live there will be times in life when plans go wrong, but if you are healthy enough and your family is together you just do your best. Prepare your heart and mind to handle hardships with grace and maturity. This is your chance to shine and show a creative side of yourself and at the same time teaching your children anything is possible. Your children will not be disappointed and neither will you with a little help from friends, family and your very own community. So swallow your pride for the sake of your family and start with the basics of a very frugal Christmas.

First, put on a smile and start by telling your family the truth. Attitude is a big part of the happiness you bring into your life and the lives of everyone around you. Your children and family will feel much more secure if your a positive about the situation and willing to get the ball rolling with a few solutions and ideas. So let the know there is very little money this year for extras but it can still be the best and most memorable Christmas ever if you work together. Everyone must smile and be happy for what they can contribute no matter how old you are or how little you are. Let the children be a part of forming ideas for a simple and great Christmas. You can guide them with suggestions of inexpensive decorations and gift ideas. From there they will come up with some of the greatest ideas for the family and surprise even you through the holidays and on Christmas morning.

Invest in construction paper and a small bottle of glitter. One package of paper, one bottle of glitter, scissors and a child's imagination can decorate a whole house. Show them how to make paper chains as we did in grade school. Cut a one inch wide strip of paper width wise and glue the ends in a circle. No glue? Remember a little flour and water make a great paste. Once the kids have the hang of it you will soon find the entire house covered in colorful chains they have made themselves. It will be their first contribution of the holidays and a job they can take pride in. Have them choose some of their favorite stuffed toys to put in the windows around the home for a more festive look. Use smaller toys and hang in the windows as decorations and don't forget the least expensive decoration of all is one package of candy canes to be eaten one at a time as Christmas gets closer.

If you don't have a Christmas tree and no cash to invest in one either real or artificial you can create a corner of the room as the gift and celebration area. Use boxes one smaller than the next and stack to about five feet in height. Cover with a sheet and let the kids decorate it with anything they choose. You can use old ornaments you already have as well as their paper chains and shapes they have cut from construction paper. Drape or hang jewelry on your make believe tree or any toys the children have gathered from fast food meals to create memories. As the days draw closer use the time together to create a Christmas story for each of the ornaments on your home made tree. Each year you will relive the stories and create a new tradition for your family. When you have finished you will have a unique tree but one that is just as beautiful. Remember to smile and find as many good things as you can about your new Christmas. Other ideas for a Christmas tree will depend on the area you live in, but anything from branches to tumbleweeds to evergreen limbs will work just as well if you let your children enjoy each new idea they come up with.

Food is another investment that usually cost more than the simple family budget can handle, but it is a part of the American celebration of Christmas as well as every other countries who celebrate this great tradition. If you are a family that will be eating at home go to the local food bank for food! Do not think about it too much or you may lose your pride, but you do what has to be done to take care of your family and yourself. So go and get what they offer. You and everyone else in town has supported it for years and were happy to do so, so use it this time when you are in need . You can also begin another tradition by having hamburgers and fries with milkshakes or a special casserole with sweet hot tea. Be inventive when it comes to a meal and remember to be thankful for the food before you and let the kids and your family know you are having a great time.

For fun foods leading up to Christmas invest in a container of instant hot cocoa and some popcorn. This simple food can carry you through the holidays providing a fun snack for kids and is easy on the budget for you. Take advantage of the gifts of foods and sweets people give you. Check with local grocery store for holiday give away baskets for those in need. Buy one package of frozen cookie dough and bake cookies together as a family. This is less expensive than investing in all the ingredients you would need to bake them from scratch. The time together baking and the aroma of fresh hot cookies from the oven will provide Christmas memories for a long time to come. When life is better financially you can always give back to other that will surely go through what you are going through now.

The hardest time to face your children is Christmas morning when they expect to find gifts under the tree. They also look forward to giving gifts to you to show their love. Suggest looking for items in the home that have been packed for a long time. When you find something that has been missed for years, months or even days take it, clean it and wrap it as a surprise. Let your children show creative sides by drawing or creating a story about the family with their own special Christmas. Guide them on how to create a collection of pictures in a frame, items from your own yard into a bouquet or a one act play. But if you must have store bought gifts too then there are a lot of answers on how to acquire them in our current day and age. Sign your child's name up for a local "Tree of Sharing" so others can help with a gift for your children. Check with local churches because this is their time of year to shine and help anyone who needs it. You do not have to be a member and most only want to help you to be happy until you can get on your feet again. They ask nothing in return and always help you face emotional difficulties as well. Call the local fire department in your area. There are a lot of stations that work hard all year so they can help with gifts, food and money so every child has something on Christmas morning. Do not forget your child's school. You only need to call the office and talk to whoever is in charge of gifts for children in their district. Your child will not know about this and no other children in the school will know gifts are being given to your family. They work hard to protect your child from teasing and the pride of your family. You won't even know how many other families are receiving the same treatment or who they are.

Take advantage of the help in your community. People want to help because it is the right thing to do and they ask nothing in return. You have probably helped in many cases through out the years and done so gladly so now that it is your turn to receive do it with a smile, a thank you and know your children, your family and friends will wake Christmas morning with a happy heart full of love. Through your effort you will have created a memory for your children on how to survive hard times and keep on trying to make a better future.