Nifty Thrifty Christmas

This is my first thrifty Christmas post. I know I said I'd start these in August, but it's July 31st and it's my blog, so shut it. I'll start them when I want. Anyway, I've really been wanting to write my first post and I'm so excited about this concept the more I research into it. I thought with my first post I would explore WHY I even want to do a thrifty Christmas. We were going to spend no money on pre-made gifts, but Hubs wants to buy a couple of things for M and for other people. I don't want to force him to do handmade, so I'll be the only one doing handmade this year. Works for me. But back to the question of why. It's simple, really:

1) Growing up my family didn't have a lot of money. We never got the best and most popular toys, but we were always happy and I always remember Christmas as being a fun time with my family more than a toy-fest. I want M to remember the togetherness more than the "getting." If you ask me about my favorite Christmas memory it would be that time my dad hung candy canes on the tree and the dog pulled the tree over trying to sneak one. Not "the year I got (insert hardly matters toy name here).

2) I love to make things. I'm happiest when I'm sewing, cooking, or crafting. I love being able to take something like scraps of fabric and discount binding and turning it into something cute, like a blanket for M's dolls. I like to make things for people rather than buy them because I can personalize them and make them according to what those people like. I don't make things because I'm cheap. I put a lot of thought into the gifts I make for people. Why shouldn't I do that with Christmas? I also want M to learn early the value of learning skills. Not skillz, although those come in handy, too, especially on the dance floor on New Year's Eve.

3) Money. The economy is tight right now. So our tiny home economy is tight, too. Although projects are going to cost money, it will be a lot cheaper to make things than to buy them. Kind of like how it's cheaper to make cookies from scratch than to buy the pre-made dough or a box of oreos.

4) It's better for the Earth. Less packaging going into the trash, fewer plastic shopping bags going into the trash, and the use of recycled materials (a lot of the projects I'm planning use supplies I already have on hand).

5) Christmas is about Jesus. And it's about doing for others. And our society is so focused on "take take take" and " I want I want I want" and I'm tired of it. Not only are we doing handmade Christmas this year, we're doing a service project as a family every week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, starting with serving lunch at the homeless shelter on Thanksgiving Day. Christmas is about sharing with others, not taking all you can get.

So there it is. My reason for thrifty Christmas. I will try to update this feature at least once a week with projects I'm working on and tips for having your own thrifty Christmas.

Thrift Tips:

-Start making your lists now and look for things on sale. I'm making M a craft caddy with a crayon roll in it. I'm also going to melt down some crayons to make her some rainbow crayons. I can get 24 count box of Crayola crayons for 25 cents a box at Wal-Mart right now because of back to school. If I wait to buy them in October or November, they will cost 99 cents a box. Think of people you want to buy for and start looking for those supplies NOW. Have a relative who is a bird watcher? Most stores have garden stuff on clearance now. Buy them an unfinished wooden birdhouse for dirt cheap and paint it. Go all out and get a bag of birdseed to go with it.

-Be creative and think of what the people in your life like to do year round. If you live in a climate like I do, where it's going to be 30 below on Christmas Day, think about buying them things they like in the summer like gardening supplies or fishing gear. Bring a little warmth in. I have to remind myself that everyone doesn't love the winter like I do. I love hot cocoa, cozy sweaters, fireplaces, and down comforters. My grandmother hates the cold. So she gets a lot of summer stuff. Last year I made her a gardening tote. At the end of the planting season I bought seed packets at half price. I filled the bag with them for next to nothing. She loved it. Be creative and think of sales.

I will post a project that I've completed in the next couple of days. Every time I post a project I'll also post how much it cost in supplies.

If there is anything in particular you would like for me to research or write about for Thrifty Christmas, please let me know in the comments. :) And Merry last day of July.