Tipid Tips for Christmas

1. Send postcards or letters (better yet e-cards), instead of Christmas cards. 

2. For friends and family that live out of state or out of the country make a brief phone call and your loved ones would probably much rather hear your voice than receive a card in the mail.

3. Use pretty magazine pages to wrap small gifts.

4. Use your children’s artwork, or create your own on plain paper for wrapping… the large reams of packing paper are great for this, contact anyone who’s in the process of moving!

5. Cut up old Christmas cards make wonderful gift tags too!

6. If you sew, you could also use scrap material to wrap gifts.

7. Don’t decorate with expensive things!!!

8. The stores have incredible sales every year for decorations, buy close to the holiday or even better, after the holiday!  You could fill your house with beautiful holiday decorations every year (if you wanted to), for a small fraction of what they originally cost!

9. Save your children’s (or grandchildren’s) holiday crafts and artwork from school each year, after a few years you’ll have a houseful of free and beautiful decorations!  And the joy your child will feel seeing his/her artwork proudly displayed year after year is priceless.

10. Invest in a good quality artificial tree after Christmas - when they go on CLEARANCE SALE! Buy good quality because they will last many more years.

11. And don’t try to get all your tree ornaments in one year (this one is especially true for young people just starting out), it took your parents years to collect what they have… and each ornament is more special because of it.

12. Another great and frugal way to entertain the family through the holidays is to take a drive around your town, or another town nearby to see their Christmas lights (Go see the lights and sounds show at the Ayala Triangle)

Source: http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/holidays/saveatchristmas.htm