If my 3-year-old and I have been diligent about our special chore every morning this month, the felt snowman in our dining room today should have a little cloth peppermint in his pocket painted with the number nine.
Which is my unique way of saying there are nine days until Christmas.
Maybe you’re still frantically checking items off your “Gifts to Buy” list; perhaps you’re kicking back with a mug of hot chocolate in front of the hearth (or in our case, the fireplace DVD — highly recommended, although less warm) as you listen to Bing croon you into holiday bliss.
Whatever your situation in these remaining nine days — assuming, that is, the world won’t end Friday, which would be a shame — your friendly Bargain Advocate is here to encourage you to enjoy them.
And although the holidays tend to be a trying time for the ol’ budget, the Bargain Advocate also is here to remind you there are plenty of ways to make the most of your holiday without spending a penny — or too many of them, at least.
We have discussed making Christmas gifts, a process that itself can serve as entertainment. But in the cold, dreary days of December, it seems a good time can be hard to come by if you’ve set your funds aside for gift-giving and not trips to the theater or ballet or show.
Take heart! It’s possible to have a good time and save money without being stuck in the house listening to “Santa Baby” for the fifth time in an hour on one of six local radio stations playing 24/7 holiday hits.
My suggestions:
1. Give. Your time, toys, canned food, financial resources — whatever you can think of. Find a toy drive in your area and take the opportunity to teach your child about the importance of giving to others, whether by contributing a gently used toy or purchasing a new one. (It doesn’t need to be expensive.) Seek out opportunities to work in a local shelter or soup kitchen. Collect some canned or non-perishable food and take it to the Salvation Army, or somewhere else accepting donations. Make a card for an elderly neighbor and deliver it with a smile.
2. Find a free event in your area. Look up a local events calendar online or in your newspaper to see what’s happening in your community. Attend a church production or go see a live nativity. Check local museums and art galleries to see what free exhibits are on display. Don’t forget, this can be a good opportunity to expand your horizons and see what’s going on in neighboring counties, too.
3. Look at the lights. Finish dinner, put your PJs on early, pile into the car, and turn on the Christmas tunes. Then go for a drive to check out the Christmas light displays in surrounding neighborhoods. This has been a treasured Christmas Eve tradition for my family for as long as I can remember, but it need not be limited to that particular evening.
4. Plan a night in. Maybe that involves making popcorn, baking cookies, and watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in front of the Christmas tree as a family. Maybe it’s playing board games and eating pizza.
I got a nice letter in the mail this week from a reader named Darlene in Galion. “On a few special nights we were permitted to bring a pillow and blanket and fall asleep under the tree while looking up through those bright sparkling lights — but not on 12/24!” she wrote, which made me smile.
Perhaps your “night in” involves breaking a few conventional house rules — like no food in the living room. Whatever it is, if you make a point of planning it — really making it an event — it will seem more special.
5. Go caroling. It’s a step out of some people’s comfort zones (including mine), but why not? I recall at least one occasion when carolers stopped on the doorstep of my parents’ house, and it made me happy to think that some people still do that.
That should be enough to get you started.
Now stop worrying about things you need to buy, get out with the family and make some memories — for free! You have nine days and counting.
Unless the world ends on 12/21/12 … (wink, wink)
Happy saving,
Abbe
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