Christmas is probably my favorite time of year. As a mom, I love being the one who gets to create the magic so to speak for our family. I love planning for and buying the gifts, making things special, and watching the kids enjoy it all.
But as a family of seven, Christmas can get expensive very quickly! Over the years though we have learned how to enjoy a large family Christmas on a budget while still making it feel special for our kids.
In this post I am sharing the affordable Christmas traditions we look forward to every year, the things we skip without guilt, and the Christmas savings tips we use to keep the season manageable. My goal is always to make Christmas meaningful and memorable without overspending!
Prefer video? Watch me share about this topic here on my YouTube channel!
Free Christmas Activities and Frugal Holiday Traditions
One of the best frugal Christmas ideas is to fill December with free or very inexpensive activities. There are so many cheap Christmas ideas that feel magical if you take the time to look around your community.
Our Favorite Free or Low-Cost Christmas Activities
- Driving to see Christmas lights – We look up good neighborhoods, bring hot chocolate or candy canes, turn on Christmas music, and make a whole evening of it.
- Free local parades at the beginning of December – Our kids love them and always bring lots of candy home, ha!
- Visiting North Park Mall in Dallas – Their beautiful decorations, choirs, and small shows make it feel so Christmasy and fun.
- Christmas baking and Christmas crafts – The kids and I especially love making Christmas cookies each year!
- Watching Christmas movies – We always make a list so we don’t forget any favorites.
- Free drive-thru nativities or free Christmas concerts – You can usually just Google these and find some hosted by churches or the city.
- Christmas Eve service at our church now that our kids are a bit older.
There are so many free Christmas activities available that it’s easy to stay busy without spending much money. These simple traditions are a big part of how we enjoy the Christmas season as a big family without spending gobs of money.
Teaching Kids to Focus on Giving
Something that is really important to us is helping our kids think about others instead of just focusing on (or obsessing over) the gifts they want to receive.
Simple Ways We Teach Giving
- Sibling gift exchange. Each child draws a sibling’s name and gets a few dollars to buy a gift at Dollar Tree or Target Dollar Spot. The kids love doing this and are always so excited to wrap their present and watch their sibling open it Christmas morning.
- Homemade gifts and cards. We set aside time for making cards or drawings for relatives or older people in our church.
- Service projects. This year we helped with Operation Christmas Child by contributing items for boxes our church was packing. This was such a great experience for the kids!
These activities help our kids enjoy giving and they’re all pretty budget-friendly too.
Christmas Traditions We Skip to Save Money
There are several things we skip in order to keep our large family Christmas on a budget. I’m not saying we’ll always skip these things, but we are for now.
Matching Christmas Pajamas
Matching pajamas are adorable, but for seven people even a good sale adds up quickly. Although I think the idea is cute I honestly just haven’t wanted to spend the money. Will I some year? Maybe, but so far it’s a tradition that we’ve skipped.
Buying New Christmas Decor Every Year
Decorating is fun, but buying new décor annually gets expensive. We reuse what we have and only add things slowly when they’re on sale.
Christmas Cards
We love Christmas cards, but between photos, printing, and stamps, they add up fast. Some years we send them, and some years we skip them without guilt.
Buying Gifts for Everyone
On my side of the family (with twelve siblings + in-laws) we draw names. This works really well and keeps us from feeling obligated to buy for a million people.
We also skip optional gift exchanges when the expected amount is higher than we want to spend.
You can also consider giving family gifts, something small for everyone like sale-priced ornaments, or some yummy homemade treats.
How We Save Money on Gifts for Our Kids
A big part of keeping Christmas manageable is being intentional and planning ahead. These are the Christmas savings tips that make the biggest difference for us.
Shop Throughout the Year
I pick up gifts anytime I see a great sale (and it’s in the budget to spend the money) and store them in a labeled box up high in my closet. After-Christmas sales are also really good for toys and stocking stuffers so keep an eye out during that week between Christmas and New Years.
Aim for the Same Number of Gifts, Not the Same Price
I don’t stress over spending the exact same amount on each child. Older kids’ gifts naturally cost more! I also find really awesome deals on Facebook Marketplace from time to time so obviously those things are less expensive. My main goal is to give the kids an equal amount of gifts to unwrap – no one needs to know exactly what I spent on each gift.
Wrap Every Little Thing
Instead of grouping items together, I often wrap everything separately. It stretches the excitement and gives the kids more to open without spending extra.
It’s Okay to Skip Stockings
Stockings can get expensive with several kids. We do them now because I enjoy it, but if your budget is tight it’s totally okay to skip them. You can wrap some of the small items instead.
Avoiding Comparison During the Holidays
It’s easy to compare your Christmas to what you see online or around you, but every family is different. What’s right for one family isn’t necessarily right for yours.
Christmas can be special no matter how much or how little is under the tree!
Simple, Magical Christmas Day Traditions
One of the best ways to have a special Christmas with your family is to just slow down and enjoy the time together.
In my family growing up and now with our own kids we open gifts one at a time. It makes the morning last longer and lets everyone enjoy watching each other open their presents.
Our Christmas day usually looks something like this:
- Cinnamon rolls, bacon, and fruit for breakfast
- Opening presents one at a time
- Reading the Christmas story
- Playing Christmas music
- A charcuterie lunch
- A relaxing afternoon reading a new book or just chilling while the kids play with their new toys
These quiet, joyful moments make the day magical, not the number of gifts.
Remembering the Real Reason for Christmas
No matter your budget, the heart of Christmas stays the same. It’s not about spending the most money or creating a Pinterest-perfect holiday. It’s about celebrating Jesus, enjoying time together, and helping our kids think of others.
If I summarized our approach to a frugal Christmas, it would be this:
- Take advantage of free activities
- Skip the things you can’t afford without guilt
- Shop sales and clearance when you can
- Don’t compare your Christmas to someone else’s
- Focus on the real meaning of the season
These simple principles help us enjoy a large family Christmas on a budget without feeling like we’re missing anything.
Let me know in the comments what your favorite free or low-cost Christmas activity is—I’d love to hear your ideas!
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