Cheap Christmas Traditions For Families

It was never the money that made Christmas magical, but traditions can get expensive.  Months of planning, thought, and money go into Christmas around here.  So what are we to do this year when no one really has the extra cash?  Well, we will still be practicing traditions that cost little to no money.

Need ideas on free Christmas traditions to start with your family?  Hub Pages is helping out with a list of fun and free Christmas traditions for the whole family.

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Trim the Tree

This seems like a no brainer. Everyone gets a tree for Christmas, and everyone trims it, right? Actually, quite a few families don't want to deal with small kids and breakable ornaments. They trim the tree on their own, when the kids are asleep, and spend the next few weeks admonishing the kids not to touch it.

Instead, pull out unbreakable ornaments and a few garlands and let the kids help. Better yet, start by making your own clay dough ornaments. Sign each one with the child's name and the year. Encourage them to make something that means something special to them that year.  When you unpack the ornaments together, tell whatever stories they bring to mind. The first year you do this, there will only be a few ‘special' ornaments on the tree. That's okay. Each year you'll add a few more, and by the time your kids are in middle school, unpacking the ornaments will be a whole evening's worth of memories.

Bake Cookies

It's a timeless tradition that too often gets overlooked. Spend an afternoon in the kitchen baking cookies together. You can try out a new recipe or pull out a favorite old one. You can frost them or leave them unfrosted. Whatever you decide works best for your family, there's probably at least one cookie that is full of Christmas nostalgia.

If you don't have the time or patience to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you can use a tube of cookie dough or make up some sugar cookie dough in advance and roll it into a cylinder and chill.

Go on a Pajama Ride

The last few days before Christmas, it's hard to sleep. So choose a night to stay up late, fill a thermos with hot cocoa or cider, and dress the kids in their warmest jammies. Wrap up in fuzzy blankets and go off on a pajama ride. Visit the best local light displays and if your town has a Christmas Tree Lane, don't forget to take a drive down there, too. Turn up the Christmas Carols and sing along.

Your kids will remember these nights forever, and all it costs is a tank of gas. (If you can't spare that, at least take a walk to see the local displays. The lights really do make the magic come alive, and there's something about getting to experience them while dressed in fuzzy footie pajamas that make it that much more magical.)

Trimming the tree and baking cookies were both big hits with our kids! My son and my husband had a contest to see who could put the most icing on the cookies and we got lots of fun pictures! My favorite photo? A snapshot of my infant daughter and I hanging her very first ornament for the very first time. I'll cherish it forever!

We are going to see some free holiday lights in town tonight and I can't wait! We will be taking along some of the cookies we made and big mugs of homemade hot cocoa.  My son is excited about singing Jingle Bells as loud as he can. I'm secretly hoping the children fall asleep on the way home. It will be nice to have a quiet evening with my husband while they sleep.

If you'd like to get more free ideas for Christmas traditions you can start this year, check out the list at Hub Pages. Please share your own favorite traditions in the comments. We can't wait to hear how you spend your holidays!