Christmas is coming fast and I love delighting my family with thoughtful gifts.
Still, inflation hits hard and with a large family, I have to be thoughtful about what I buy. Here are a few tips for creating an affordable Christmas.
Plan Ahead
I follow steps in this blog post to plan ahead so I'm not overbuying or getting duplicates. The Christmas planning sheet that I've linked there includes space to write down what activities and crafts we will do and what gifts we need to buy which helps me simplify.
I usually purchase just two or three gifts per child, using the formula "something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read" as my guide.
Something You Want
This is the category that gets the most money spent, but I keep my eyes open for deals at garage sales and thrift stores. Some ideas are-
Doll House-I found a couple Calico Critter ones like this at a thrift store and stowed them for Christmas
Toy Kitchen- I got one of these on Facebook Marketplace, but Amazon has some beautiful wooden ones available as well.
Bike-We usually find a bike on Amazon or Walmart, but if you are handy, getting a used one is a great idea.
Dress Up- If you plan ahead you can find fantastic dress up items for your history studies with Playful Pioneers or Kind Kingdom at thrift stores. I found one just like this for less than $10 at Goodwill.
Tool Kit- As soon as my boys start hitting later childhood I want to equip them for real skills. Tools found online or at thrift stores make great Christmas gifts.
Sewing Machine- We've had a few Christmas sewing machines over the years that then become valuable tools for sewing costumes and gifts in the following years. Crafts that we include in Peaceful Press homeschool curriculum such as sewing a doll or doll quilt, or making a poncho are made easier thanks to our Christmas sewing tools.
Craft Kits- It's easy to pull together a craft kit from fabrics, notion, ribbons, and other items found in thrift stories, or grab a lovely embroidery kit, felting kit, or watercolor tools from Amazon.
Something You Need
Christmas is a great time to replenish needed items like running shoes, buy hobby items like soccer gear or horse gear, camera or tech gear, or even new jackets, backpacks, and lunchboxes.
Podcast Microphone- My son edits my podcast and he likes my sound to be crisp. For budding podcasters, check out this microphone.
Camera- Children who are nurturing new hobbies need tools. I've had a few over the last few years, my current camera is a Nikon D610, but I started with a simple version from Samsung that's hard to find now.
Backpack- These backpacks have lasted my kids years, if you want a gift that will carry them through childhood, this is a good purchase.
Something to Wear
This is the easiest category for me, whether it's buying matching pajamas for my granddaughters, or pretty sweaters or earrings for my daughters, finding my family something to wear can be done through a few quick thrift store visits or a quick glance at Amazon.
Matching Christmas Pajamas- I got a set of these for both grandbabies.
Organic Cotton Women's Blazer- This one is by Pact so not only is it easy shopping on Amazon, it's also fair trade.
Comfy Sweatshirts for Teens and Young Adults- I got a few like this for my older teens and young adults.
Something to Read
I love finding books for my family! I've been stashing them all year as I come across good titles at thrift stores. We include beautiful book suggestion in our Peaceful Press Christmas Guides, you can grab the lists and shop them at thrift stores or Thrift Books.
A few that I stowed for this year include-
And Then There Were None- This Agatha Christie book will be cozy read for an older teen
A Christmas Carol- This Charles Dickens classic would be a fun Christmas day read aloud.
Let's Go Home by Cynthia Rylant- This is a sweet book for children about the joy of home.
If you are looking for books at thrift stories, it's a good idea to have a list of favorite authors or even a booklist like the one from Playful PIoneers to help you search.
I'm always on the lookout for books by authors like Cynthia Rylant, Tasha Tudor, Margaret Wise Brown,Elizabeth Yates, James Herriot, A.A. Milne, L.M. Montgomery, Maud Hart Lovelace, Ralph Moody, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madeleine L'Engle, Elizabeth Goudge, C.S. Lewis, Rumer Godden, Janette Oke, and more.
If I find books by authors I know, I'll stash them for a later birthday or Christmas need.
You can find a list of 200 items I purchased for my family this year, including books, art supplies, kitchen tools, cookbooks, hobby items, and more at this link.
Develop life giving Christmas traditions with our Peaceful Press Holiday Book Flood!