(I do participate in affiliations on this blog. I am an affiliate with many companies, which in simple terms means I advertise for companies, and they compensate me via products, services, or monetary means. You can read my entire disclosure policy over here.)
10 Frugal Holiday Family Fun Ideas
Family fun doesn’t have to cost a fortune during the holidays.
If you are used to spending a lot on entertainment, perhaps this is the year to change the way you do things.
Here are a few free or cheap frugal holiday family fun ideas.
Christmas Lights
Here’s an obvious idea that may not seem so frugal anymore with the price of gas, but drive around looking at Christmas lights.
This used to be such a big thing for families to enjoy in the past.
We used to wait until the kids were in their pajamas, then load up in the van with some cookies, hot cocoa, and blankets.
We would sing Christmas carols and yell Christmas lights every time we spotted some.
It’s a great way to spend time together and create precious holiday memories on the cheap.
Christmas Carols
Gather the family into the living room and sing Christmas carols.
This is so much fun!
My oldest daughter, Jaimie, likes to gather everyone together to go Christmas caroling around the neighborhood.
This is some old-fashioned fun that everyone enjoys.
Our family has always liked singing at our local nursing home too.
Simple Crafts
Our family always makes simple Christmas crafts each year.
We like to make paper chains to hang on the tree and snowflakes to hang from the ceiling.
Simple but fun.
Bake Cookies
Stop trying to do everything yourself.
Definitely stop trying to make everything perfect.
Gather the family into the kitchen and have fun making Christmas cookies together.
Go to the Library
Go to your local library and read Christmas stories.
My young children always loved spending time at our local library.
Have a Christmas Movie Marathon
Gather the family together for a fun day of watching Christmas movies.
What could be more fun than a Christmas movie marathon!
Sledding
We live in the North Country so we always have mounds of snow to go sledding down each winter.
My family has enjoyed hours and hours of sledding every year.
Ice Skating
Go to your local ice skating rink for some frugal family fun!
Free Snowshoeing and Skiing
We are blessed enough to have the Nicandri Nature Center in our area.
It is filled with all kinds of family fun, including free snowshoeing and skiing.
They provide everything you need.
Just gather the family and head out for a fun frugal day.
Have a No Gifts Christmas Party
My daughter-in-love, Courtney put together an awesome family Christmas party this year.
No gifts were allowed.
Everyone chose a country and brought both food and information about how that country celebrated Christmas.
Sarah and I chose China.
We think the Chinese Santa has to be the coolest because he plays the saxaphone!
Sarah handed out apples because the Chinese give apples on Christmas.
The Chinese word for apple is similar to the Chinese words for Silent Night, so they give these token gifts of Silent Night each Christmas.
Courtney printed out Christmas pictures from the countries we chose and we had fun doing a coloring contest.
The best part was the stress-free atmosphere of no gift-giving and the taste testing the variety of foods from around the world.
Thanks, Courtney!
10 Frugal Holiday Family Fun Ideas
These are just 10 Frugal Holiday Family Fun Ideas that my family enjoys.
Share your frugal holiday family fun ideas in the comments!
Affordable Stocking Stuffers for Christmas
I am always so surprised to hear parents say they put expensive presents into their children’s stockings.
I can’t help but think about Laura and Mary, from Little House on the Prairie, opening up their Christmas stockings and being excited to find a penny, a pair of homemade red mittens, and a cookie sprinkled with sugar on top.
Laura and Mary were super excited and in awe to get such wonderful gifts for Christmas.
That was it. There weren’t any more gifts to open, and they were happy.
The world has really turned crazy over the last couple of years.
It is the perfect time to slow down and rethink the way we celebrate anything, including Christmas.
It’s time to simplify Christmas.
Check out my article, Affordable Stocking Stuffers for Christmas.
I am an affiliate
I hope you love the products I recommend! Just so you know, I may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Thank you if you use our links, I really appreciate it!