| Christmas seems to come and go faster every | | | | useful but memorable gifts that warm the heart. |
| year! And what makes a glad season rather sad, | | | | Do you have loved ones that live far away? How |
| is that many people haven't finished paying the | | | | about putting together a scrapbook of the year's |
| credit card bills from last year's holiday. This year | | | | events? Grandparents are especially fond of this |
| let's do something dramatically different and have | | | | idea; however, with all the great accessories you |
| an inexpensive Christmas. Let's spend less on | | | | can use for creating scrapbooks they can be hip |
| decorations, gifts and Christmas dinner, and still | | | | enough for young people as well. |
| have a wonderful time! It is possible to have a | | | | Gift cards to a favorite restaurant or coffee shop |
| wonderful holiday season without breaking the | | | | goes over quite nicely as well, especially in the |
| budget in the process. | | | | current economy. You have to remember that |
| Decorations | | | | people want to be thought of on Christmas so it |
| Decorations can cost a fortune but if you use a | | | | really is the thought that counts! Affordable |
| little wisdom, you can have a nicely decorated | | | | Christmas present suggestions: |
| home for a fraction of the cost. It is a little too | | | | * Favorite TV show on DVD ( these are offered |
| late this year to benefit from all the after | | | | for a bargain around the holidays) |
| Christmas sales of last year, unless you were | | | | * Put together a young child's art studio, for a |
| wise! However, keep in mind that most Christmas | | | | few dollars you can purchase finger paint, colored |
| decorations will be slashed by 90% just a day or | | | | pencils, markers, crayons and art paper. |
| two after the holidays, never too soon to think | | | | * Give that special loved one a certificate for |
| about next year. | | | | dinner at a favorite restaurant, a new movie or |
| For this year, you have a few options when it | | | | just an all expense covered "date night" catering |
| comes to affordable decorations. An all time | | | | to their favorite things. This can be an actual gift |
| favorite is to go old school. Gather your children | | | | certificate you purchase or simply a promise to |
| or grandchildren for a small before Christmas | | | | cover all the costs. |
| party and have an ornament making activity. This | | | | Dinner |
| could be as simple as forming colorful pipe | | | | Food can be another area where you can go |
| cleaners into ornamental shapes, or more | | | | overboard. If you are planning to have a small |
| complex like making ornaments out of clay and | | | | army for Christmas dinner, you can still feed |
| then painting or decorating them with glitter. Each | | | | them on a budget. A favorite money saving tip is |
| way you get wonderful decorations at a fraction | | | | to have a Christmas potluck, where each guest is |
| of the cost and they are keepsakes as well. Plus, | | | | responsible for a dish. You can specifically request |
| you get some quality time with the kids! Here are | | | | certain people bring certain foods or allow |
| three more Christmas suggestions: | | | | everyone to make up their own mind, even if |
| * Popcorn strings | | | | you have seven dishes of stuffing or sweet |
| * Paper chain ropes | | | | potatoes you can rest assured no one will forget |
| * Paper snowflakes | | | | dinner at your house! |
| Great Gift Ideas | | | | Christmas is meant to be a season of celebration |
| Gifts are the area where most people go wild and | | | | and joy and this is hard to accomplish when you |
| rack up the credit card bills. It is nice to be able to | | | | know the money to pay for it is not in your |
| make all your loved ones' dreams come true, | | | | wallet. Make this an inexpensive Christmas by |
| however if you spend the next 3 years paying | | | | taking it back to a simpler time when the |
| for that soon to be outdated iPod, it can be a little | | | | important thing was getting together and enjoying |
| frustrating. | | | | family and friends. |
| Instead of expensive high-end gifts, look for | | | | |