Inexpensive/free Christmas/winter activities?

[creativemom]

What inexpensive or free activities do you do with your family during winter/Christmas?? My hubby has been laid off for 13 weeks--- but we want to celebrate time with our family and friends. Here are some of the ideas I have so far:

Night under the Christmas tree... we LOVE laying under the tree looking up at the lights from the underside of the tree. This tradition started for us 3 almost 4 years ago after our DS10 got sight!!

Lights around town: We LOVE taking a drive around town--looking at everyone's Christmas Lights/decorations.

Christmas Movie Marathons: These are a blast--lots of junk food while we watch the Santa Claus (Trilogy) lol. Or do the Christmas Classics: It's a wonderful Life, White Christmas.

Cousin's Weekend: I have my cousin's over for a weekend of Crafts, snacks and time together. We have done this for 9 years so far---the whole idea being making something special for the people we love the most.

First snowday: I make the family pancakes and homemade hot chocolate! Then it's soup and homemade bread for lunch... every single first snowday! (Ok so the pancakes and hot chocolate are snowday musts here in Wisconsin)

 

[sew-n-sew]

We live near four universities with excellent music departments. Each year there are numerous concerts and senior recitals in December. Admission is free for all of them.

 

[caitsmum]

We go for a walk around all our local garden centres. The girls love to look at the displays - our nearest one often wins awards for the displays so we know it'll be a good afternoon .... and we pick up some new ideas too!

If I have the cash we have a drink and squishy cake in their restaurant, if not we come home.

AM

 

[luludou]

Ice-skating, snowshoeing in the woods, cross-country skiing (I have real old skis but it's still fun).

 

[Colleen in PA]

creativemom,
Gather a bunch of friends/neighbors and have a caroling party! You could ask everyone to bring a dessert for after and just serve coffe/tea/hot chocolate at your house. I'm sure you can find lots of people who would love a fun "excuse" to get together informally.

Also, I second the recommendation to look into free concerts, etc. in your area. Lots of churches, clubs, etc. put on nice events for a nominal donation. Our church asks everyone to bring a canned good to donate as "admission". Also check out your local schools - many put on holiday shows and are generally inexpensive tickets.

How about a family game night in front of the tree? Let each person pick a game. My brother and his friends do this for their holiday celebrations - and even though they're all adults, they always end the night with Candyland! Or you can all work on a big puzzle together throughout the holidays. Put on some Christmas music and just enjoy your time together.

My DS(4) loves to help me bake and decorate cookies. If you don't enjoy baking from scratch, use the pilsbury rolls...just roll out half at a time (keep the rest refrigerated) and use your usual cookie cutters. It cuts the prep and mess considerably...and you can spend the afternoon decorating to your hearts content!

Last one: How about decorating a gingerbread house together? You can make your own or purchase a kit. We've even made them from graham crackers...I'm always amazed at the creative ideas kids come up with (like using the "hated" shredded wheat cereal for a thatched roof! LOL!)

HTH!

 

[Belles]

Oh, I love this post, I hope everyone chimes in because I would love to put as many of these ideas into my notebook as possible.

*First Christmas Tree spig...It's a contest every year to see who in the family can bring home the first spig of a real Christmas tree from tree lot.

*We count Chistmas lights, almost eveytime we leave the house, it's a car game. If you're driving you get the left side of the steet and passanger get the right and you count houses with lights, the side with that counts the most wins.

 

[girlsinmo]

I can't think of anything to add at the moment(am exhausted) but love this thread so wanted to subscribe to it.

 

[printersdevil]

We have a local holiday lights drive through at a lake park. I has a large amount of beautiful lights and they add something new each year. They play Christmas music that is on the radio as you drive through. They do accept donations as you exit. This year I am looking forward to this with our new girls. I am planning a night of viewing in our PJs. The park is just a few minutes from our house. We will return to hot chocolate and a fire in the fireplace.

The girls also have several programs at school that we will attend. The oldest is in middle school and in choir. They have a holiday program with the high school.

The school where they go is also doing Alice in Wonderland the first of December and we will attend. (maybe the daytime one since it will be free). My oldest dear niece is a senior in another high school and they are putting on the Wizard of Oz and we will attend it, too. (again hopefully during the afternoon if I can get away on a nonworking day)

Our church has a wonderful Christmas program and drama that we will attend. We also might attend another one locally.

Another church in town always has a live Nativity that is great to view.

The college where I work has a great Lessons in Carols service and the lighting of the Green several days before finals. The Catholic Students Association and hispanic organization on campus also host La Posada that evening with some Mexican food and hot chocolate. That portion is outside and the air is always cold and crisp on the walk across the campus.

There is also a Winter Social night that one of the campus organizations sponsors with food and drink outside.

I plan to take the girls to each of these so that they have some special things to do that won't cost us anything. Money is tight here, too.

I am also planning to let each of the girls invite a few friends for an afternoon tea party. They will do it at different times (I think) so that they can each have their event. We are going to encourage the guests to "dress" for a holiday tea. I have lots of Christmas "china" and teapots. We will have a light selection of tea type foods and drink.

My church also hosts a holiday tea with the gorgeous decorated tables, food and an inspirational speaker. It does cost and is only for the ladies. However, it is a great time and worth the money.

I would like to host a cookie exchange, but am not sure if I will. If not, I may have an ornament party. I toyed with the idea of a cookie exchange at work last year. I may have to give that one some more thought.

Gee, now I feel pumped up just thinking about all of this.

Great thread!!!!!

 

[Winged One]

Gather the kids for cookie making or an afternoon making long paper chains to decorate the hall and dining room (just takes a handfull of different coloured plain sheets of paper), or making snowmen and angels from newspapers for windows.

Will think of more later when I have my "normal Christmas magic and thrifty head" back on!

 

[Cindylouwho]

This is a wonderful thread! Sledding and cocoa is our big one. It rivals cookie-making for #1. Not sure you want to take the kids to the malls when times are tight but usually the malls have some sort of fun holiday activity or concert going on every night. City websites are another good source for a calendar of free holiday events. DD has a holiday sleepover where the girls all sleep under the Christmas tree. That's a fun one.

 

[luludou]

How about a pizza night? Everyone picks their own toppings and you get to eat a picnic on a blanket besides the christmas tree with only (or mostly) the tree lights? You could follow it up with a christmas movie.

 

[luludou]

Here are some ideas for kid's winter crafts

http://www.create-kids-crafts.com/winter-crafts-for-kids.html

 

[SparkleNana]

I have loved reading about the imaginative things people have posted on this thread. "MagicI'll be giving this topic some thought." efforts add excitement, joy and specialness to our lives. I hope to think about this topic this weekend -- the weekend that we will be "snowed in".

This weekend is feeling "kind of magic" --- since we are having an unusually large snow -- and people are being told to stay at home. This probably would have been a good time to have a "house party" -- maybe invite cousins to stay over and play games, watch movies, have a big pajama party.