We've had some lean Christmases and had fun in spite of it. One thing you could do is to make up a jar mix for each adult couple, add something small such as flavored coffee packet, hot chocolate packets, crackers or whatever they like. Wouldn't be too expensive and everyone would be remembered on Christmas. Bean soup mix is pretty reasonable and the recipe could be printed out on your computer if you wished. Tie a ribbon or strip of cloth in a bow at the top with the recipe card attached. If you want to wrap it up you could go to a thrift store and get some baskets there usually priced at way under a dollar each. Put the gifts into it and tie a bow to the handle--better than wrapping paper that would just be tossed. For a tree I'd try Freecycle. If there are readers in the family try asking for books on Freecycle--I did that and got quite a lot just for the picking up. Then divide them between the readers. Most readers would appreciate books and used is rarely a problem. They would have fun swapping around too. Buy your 12 year old something that he/she can unwrap in the morning such as a sweatshirt, socks and something fun they would enjoy. Our son always liked to get a flashlight with batteries. For the visiting Grandchild go to the thrift store. Many people donate toys and dolls that are nearly new that their kids just didn't play with. One year we did our son's whole Christmas toy shopping at a tag sale for $10 and he got some great things we never would have been able to afford new. Things like hardly used Tonka trucks, a bag of those little farm animals, games, books, blocks and a drum set. We cleaned them and touched them up, made cloth drawstring bags for storage for some of the things. He was 4 at the time so didn't care if they were used and probably didn't even notice. Socks are a great idea---everyone that I know needs them. You can buy a package or two of the ones they have at Wally World like 6 pairs for $5, take a pair and put 1 sock inside the other to make a stocking for each person. Stuff with things like hot chocolate packets, lotion, santiary hand wash, homemade cookies or candy and coupons. The coupons can be either home made, from McDonald's or even clipped from magazines and newspapers. Homemade jam is so nice and reasonable to make. You can even use store bought fruit juice and maybe an orange to make some.

I have been thinking about this, some.

You have been blessed with a large and healthy family, and they will all be having families of their own. In several years time, you will be hosting Christmas meals for 20, and you will be growing older.

Tell me, are you doing all of the Christmas dinner yourself? It IS exciting to set a wonderfull table for those you care about, but one day, that may need to change. Families grow larger, and with the ages of your kids, the family can get bigger REALLY fast!

And, *IF* you think it wise to change the family customs, you COULD change it this year, if you chose.

When I was growing up, no one kitchen could prepare enough food for us all. Usually 20-25 people would come. So, one family would bring salad and jello, and another would bring desserts, and another would bring?????? The hostess would supply the main course, stuffing, bread, and a couple of cooked vegetables.

*IF* you go this way, (you ALREADY have the fixins for chicken and bread dishes) then the bulk of the money could then be spent on something else, and you could get at least one gift for the 12 year old that s/he will love.

IMHO.

I would draw names out of a hat for the younger family members. The older ones maybe will know the situation that money is tight and there isn't much to give. I have stopped buying presents for a lot of people, it was just getting too expensive and things are the same without the presents and it's a lot cheaper also. Celebrating the Christmas season doesn't have to involve a lot of presents, just be thankful that your family is together. The wreath idea is great, use boughs from around your property and put some lights and decorations on them. You can make the frame out of grape vines found in the wild. Hope you and your family have a great Christmas. Best Wishes Chris

My s-i-l gives everyone cookies every year, my sis often gives homemade applesauce. Both are soooooo good!

If you sew at all, rice bags (used to heat your toes or wherever else) are great gifts - use leftover fabric and fill with rice, wheat berries, flaxseed, whatever is handy. Costs maybe $2 apiece. Less if you already have fabric, but if you don't, most christmas fabric is on sale now. Pillows are nice too, and not at all expensive. If you knit, there's still time to make a few pairs of mittens or a couple of hats.

Coupons are good.

Buy a basket at goodwill and put in coupons for the video store with a packet of popcorn - and an offer to take the grandbaby to your house so mom and dad can watch a movie alone.

Go to freecycle.com and get on the mailing list for your area. Ask for a tree (if you don't mind artificial). You might get lucky. I gave one away through freecyle last year. If not, adorn plants, walls, window sills, whatever...trees are nice, but not essential. If you go to the tree lot on Christmas Eve, trees are cheap or free. When I was growing up, we also got the tree on Christmas Eve. The kids can make popcorn strings for it.

What can you do that doesn't involve major bucks? How about Christmas Caroling? Baking together? Walks in the snow? Make the meal a group effort - everyone provide something (well, except the baby). Buy a jigsaw puzzle and put it in the living room on a card table so everyone can work on it at different times.

Talk to the kids about ways to have a good Christmas that don't involve money. Make them part of the change (some may be more enthused than others).

When I try to recall gifts from other Christmases, I remember very few. Mostly, I remember family, friends, love and laughter.

My wife says "CAn you knit"? if you can knit everyone a scarf. different colors or matching colors for those with SO's.

Wal-MArt Deli has a Turkey Family Meal deal for $25.97 a 12 pound turkey, stuffing, slaw, etc. All you have to do is reheat it.

Just saw a Fiber Optic Christmas tree at Dollar General for $15 bucks. Smaller one was $10. It can be reused for years and years.:)

Our Dollar Tree just got in a new shipment. Some really nice ...stuff.. for a buck.

Hope you have a great holiday.


Kenneth & Family in NC

Hi Jena,

I was thinking of you lately and wondering how you were doing. Haven't seen any posts by you in a while.

I don't have any suggestions but it looks like people have contributed quite a few already. I wouldn't worry too much about big presents or fancy decorations. The fact that you are all together is a bigger present than many people have. My thoughts are with you.

Mike

Yes, Pony, I am glad you said that. Teens love that movie thing. I am learning too much. Thank you. And as I have said before, I'm vegetarian, but I found out again while hosting the last holiday here...It's not what you eat, it's the family bonding thing that is important, and what will be remembered. Deb

my dad always said that christmas was for kids. i am sure the older ones will understand. the younger child understands but will probably be a bit disappointed. i would buy the youngest something special with maybe half of the money and spend the rest on something nice for everyone together. maybe a nice spiral cut ham or a couple pounds of shrimp everyone could enjoy together.

about the tree... two years ago i didn't get the christmasspirit until christmas eve and everything was closed. i went onto our property and found a nice tree. it was not as full as a "manicured/farmed" tree but the experience of locating and cutting it and dragging it home through my back yard was priceless. i really enjoyed that spur-of-the-moment tree.

if that will not work, in years past i have seen many of the wealthier families of this area get a free spruce tree pruning just before christmas (someone will burn for that i am sure, lol).

For a tree, use your imagination. Paint one on the wall (or on some butcher's paper taped up against it, if need be).... and let everybody paint their own "ornament" on it (or trim photos & place them on it). Or MAKE a tree out of odds and ends you dig up or scrounge. Make one by wiring trimmed branches together, and decorate it with tinfoil and scraps of bright cloth.

I've had people tell me of "hard times" Christmases they'd had where they did things like this. They remembered the creativity and the love, not the hardships.

For food, go traditional.... look around for a sale on whole turkeys. Make cornbread, have bean dishes, have taters. Ask those who can.... to bring a side dish. Spend the next 3 weeks looking for grocery store sales. Food doesn't HAVE to be pricy.

For gifts.... what about books? www.hamiltonbooks.com carries brand new "remaindered" & "end stock" books, DIRT CHEAP. Often anything up to 10% of list price. HUGE selection of $1 & $2 & $3 books.

Postage is fairly cheap, and if you mail in the order it's EXTREMELY cheap.

Hit some library sales, if any are scheduled.

Or, write up stories from family history, & significant stories from people's lives. (Or ask everyone to say what they like about everybody else, and write it down as a "makes you feel good when you're down" gift for each person).

Cook up many batches of cookies & treats, giving each person a large bag of their favorite treat. (One of the BEST gifts I recall getting one year, was a bag of cookies I was given while visiting my inlaws out of state).

Things are really rough here, but I made sure I decorated for Christmas. I pulled out the garland and hung it everywhere. Someone had been kind enough to give me a beutiful artificial tree, which people have to touch to determine if its real or not. Freecycle is a great idea, and right now there are tons of Christmas decorations on there. Also go to the (don't laugh, I vdo it and have gotten some GREAT stuff) local dump, transfer station, landfill or whatever, and go to the pick and choose shed, often there are really nice items that can be used as gifts. I have gotten sleeping bags, nice afgahns, glassware, Christmas orniments of all types, toys, car seats for people with children. I've gotten alot of stuff there.
Those hens would be fantastic for Chistmas dinner. I prefer chicken to turkey anyway. That ground meat can be made into a ground meat stuffing or French meat pies. You could even make a fancy meatball sidedish or even meatloaf, and fancy it up a bit with chopped up chedder cheese in it. If you have eggs from some of your hens maked deviled and curried eggs, they are something everyone grabs, including the kids. Have people bring their special goodies to eat a dinner or as a desert.
Paper bags with homemade decorations are perfect for wrapping. Pull out the musical instruments and have a family sing along with Christmas music. Have the kids go out and have a snowball fight, make snow angels, or make a snowman. Ask the elderly that lived through the great depression what they did...often they have great ideas.
Oh, another idea is to have a Christmas based on the pioneer days or one that is based on a country from your ancestory. Oh, yes and have every person who comes to dinner bring an ornament that they no longer want to put on the tree. Go to the woods and cut some boughs from a couple of trees to decorate the door and mantle peice and give the room odor of greens
Just because you are broke, does not mean you have to have a glum Christmas. I literally get mad at the TV because they make Christmas a greedathon, so ignore the boob tube's version of Christmas.

We started a new tradition several years back when we were just sick of the consumerism, sick of finding space for unwanted gifts, and sick of seeing the
hurt feelings and hardship that "forced" giving was causing.

We get one "family" gift now. Usually a game that we play on Xmas day.
(This was because we found out that Xmas day without toys was a bit disappointing even for Grandma at 80). So far Family Feud has been the favorite.
All the games from Xmas' past are stored where we will gather that year, and come out only for Xmas.
We also prefer gifts that are to-eat or to-do rather than to-have.
There are so many great ideas on this thread, I think I will print it out and stick it inside our Xmas cards...

Last year I was looking for something different to get my parents so I made them a cd of songs that had a memory attached. I got a kick out of making it and they were really suprised. Many libraries have cd's that you can check out and there are other ways to come by the songs at no cost.

These ornaments or garlands are really nice and very inexpensive to make.
1 Cup Applesauce -------------------- Cooling Rack
6 Oz Cinnamon ----------------------- Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutters*
1/3 Cup Nontoxic White Glue --------- Plastic Straw
Cutting Board ------------------------- Red Ribbon

In a medium-size bowl, mix the applesauce, cinnamon, and glue to form a ball. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (the mixture can be left to chill overnight). To prevent sticking, sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on a large cutting board and roll out the dough ball to a 1/4-inch thickness (don't make it too thin or the hearts will be fragile). Cut with heart-shaped cookie cutters. Using a plastic straw, punch a hole at the top center of each heart (if you are planning to create garlands, not ornaments, make a hole on each side). Place the shapes on a cooling rack in a clean, out-of-the-way area and let dry for about two days. When the color has changed from deep brown to light brown, they're ready. Loop red ribbon through the single holes to make ornaments or string ribbon through the double holes to fashion a garland. Yields about 30 medium hearts. *I also used other shaped cookie cutters.

If you have a thrift store or used book store near by books always make a nice gift.

For anyone not living at home you could make and freeze a meal for them to take home.

Perfumes and colognes can be gotten from the dollar store.

If your grandbaby is old enough for childrens shows a whole video tape of their favorite would be great. (When my son was small an aunt gave him a whole tape of Barney shows and he was in heaven).

Do your children have a relative that was a favorite? Go through photo albums and scan any pictures of that person. Print them out on photo paper. If you don't own a scanner ask at your library or call the schools.

Make your own board games. Checkers, pachisi, sorry (you can even personalize sorry cards to have family members faces or sports teams logo's) A piece of wood paneling and some paint for the board and buttons for the pieces.

Be sure to check out this link. Its on making things from recycled objects. It might give you a few ideas. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/qu_rec..._14216,00.html

Is there a Home Depot, Lowe's or Christmas Tree lot near you? One year in TX I noticed that Home Depot was throwing away all the lovely tree branches that they were trimming off the bottom of the trees. I asked if I could have a few and the employee told me to back the truck up and take all I wanted! You could make a lovely fresh Christmas tree out of some branches, not to mention a glorious wreath for your door.

One year I made a wall tree in my kids' bedroom. They loved it!

If you have a Dollar Tree then you're set for gifts. Five items for each person with money left over for some wrapping paper (from Dollar Tree) and Christmas dinner fixings. Chicken and Hamburger are fine for Christmas. It's the people sitting around the table, not the food on the table, that make it Christmas.

My in-laws have started giving items from their home to their adult kids. For my birthday I was given a lovely cut glass salt and pepper set on a matching tray that they bought on their honeymoon 49 years ago. This might be a good idea to do for your adult kids...give each an item from your home that you know they love.

Homemade cookbooks of your favorite family recipes would be treasured by your adult children.

If you have magazines, then you have wrapping paper. If you have newspaper, then you have wrapping paper. If you have paper bags, then you have wrapping paper. If you have feed sacks then you have wrapping paper!

Do you save your Christmas cards? I always save each year's Christmas cards and use them to make name tags for the next year's gifts. Just get creative! It'll be fun!

So Jenna,

Do you have enough ideas to get started now? Me, I'm busy printing them out so I can use them too!

There are so many good suggestions here, I almost didn't post.

The other day, my dad gave me a walking stick. He had found the wood for it in his nearby woods (a nice piece of sasafras <SP>). He cut it to size, and then carved my name on the handle (top part). He also drilled a hole at the top and inserted a leather strap (doesn't have to be leather, and it's not really necessary). I love this stick, and will cherish it always. It didn't cost him anything at all, just his time. His health isn't good at all (liver transplant in 2003), but he said he enjoyed having something to do, and knew that I'd like it.

It didn't take him long to make, and I hope to have it forever. I thought it might be an idea for you for the adults in the family. Maybe even the older kids (I would have loved this gift even as a kid).

I also like the idea of blowing up a picture and framing it. Wal-mart is very reasonable on prints, and frames are only about $2.50 each.

I love all the ideas here, what a great thread.

I haven't read through all the responses so sorry if I duplicate! As someone said, buy small gifts for the kids and give the adults a coupon (or two) to have a dinner later in the year or to help them with a chore.

For a tree, if you have a large tomato cage, turn it upside down and clip the ends together. Cover the outside with clipped pine boughs. If you don't have any on your property, you might be able to get them for free from a Christmas tree place that trims the trees for the customers.

Have an Italian dinner for a change! Use your hamburger to make a meat sauce and serve spaghetti or lasagne. Add some homemade bread with garlic butter and a green salad.

Best Christmas ever
 

The best Christmas was the year my mother didnt have any money to get us anything, she felt bad .Now Iam the oldest of 5 girls,She gave us all our baby books.I was in tears.Give pictures of old family members.GGM or GGF family heirlooms.Things I can pass on to my kids are the copies of pictures of the house I grew up in, and my childhood .that My dad had I havent seen in years.That only cost pennies at a drug store you can copy pictures for 29 cents and buy a small photo album at the $ store and I would be crying.

I liked a LOT of the ideas that were posted throughout this thread! :clap:

Some suggestions I have are:

*** My grandmother had 5 kids & spouses & 17 grandchildren . . . . . the adults or those living out of the house got a special gift: a super sized stack of paper plates and a kitchen gadget attached to the top gathering with curly ribbon. I loved to go to the corner they were in and decide which gadget I wanted!

*** If you have green Christmas lights, make a tree from a hook on the ceiling where you normally put your tree and fan the strands out and secure them to the floor. Hang your ornaments from the "branches".


*** Where are you in East - Central IL? I have scrapbook paper I would share with you to make the shoebox idea in one of the above suggestions. PM me if you are interested.

*** You could maybe do the $10 each gift idea, and the older siblings each bring a little Christmas present for the 12 year old. Again, as was said above, Christmas is for kids.

*** My suggestion for the dinner is to make a big log-shaped meatloaf (ie:the "yule log") and for presentation, stick a Christmas greenery pick in it before bring it to the table. They are cheap at WallyWorld. Be sure to wash the stem of the pick before sinking it into the meatloaf. Mashed potatoes . . . . you can't go wrong there. And add some of the other suggestions from above suggestions.

*** If you have time that has in years past been spent opening presents, have an family ornament making session, complete with hot chocolate and cookies. Trade ornaments or make a game of it by drawing numbers for them. Be sure to date the ornament and note on it the special-ness of this Christmas, because it WILL be special!


*** Turn out the lights, light candles, keep "tree" lights on and sit in the middle of the living room floor in a circle holding hands and singing Christmas carols. Each share what is your favorite Scripture, Christmas tradition, or memory and tell why.

*** Put 12 yr old in the center of the circle and each take a turn describing what he or she envisions his or her life's path will take, or share ideals you have for him or her. Or each older sibling tell their baby what their values are.

*** And most of all, don't consider yourself as a failure!!! We all have bad years and I admire you for not running up a credit card! When I was a kid, our house burned on Christmas Eve while we were at church at the candlelight service. We didn't have ANYTHING to open on Christmas morn, but still, we knew we were OK, together, a family of love, and the cat by God's good grace, wasn't let back into the house before we left for church. He came back 3 days later.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS YOU!!!! :cowboy:

If you have that much hamburger I would make Swedish meat balls.

Dh and I made took 5 lbs of burger and made them one Christmas, we should have made more as they where so good.


Mrs Whodunit

If you were closer Id give you a tree. We're cleaning fencline and are cutting down several christmas tree sized Juniper (ceder like) trees. For many years I've shopped year round at garage sales for christmas presents. You can find the neatest stuff!! Stuff I could NEVER afford new, people just dont appresiate. shrug. My mom LOVED getting a pack setup that'd been to Alaska. I got kinda twiked cause this year I went to the local resale shop looking for American Girl type dolls (my sis-in-law expects me to get her daughters NEW ones cause she's throwing their old one away at a tune of $90.00 a doll....NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!) and found out they are donating ALL of the toys people donate to the local "poor people toy givaway" I agree, I'm not registering for that. What I AM doing is sewing matching dresses and doll clothes (American Girls sets like that are going for 50.00 on ebay) and baking tins of stainglass cookies and candy almonds (thank you ladies for the recipes!!!). Not everyone can afford to blow 1000.00s on presents and there is no reason to be ashamed of that. Like dh told his family "We're building fence this year! That's were our moneys going!! We cant afford to buy everyone lots of stuff, because we have stuff we HAVE to get done!!!" but then again.....it's hard for me to get into the "mood" when they had the Christmas stuff set up before Holloween!!! That sort of spoiled it for me. sigh. It's not just about presents. It's about being togeather. Being happy for the blessings youve received and being togeather. The greatest gift for me is that this year we got our house, it's OURS now, and no one can take it away!!! We have chicks, and ducks, and a goat in milk. We dont have our fences yet. Katie cant have a pig or a horse, but one day, we will. This spring I get to have a garden and my chicks will be giving me eggs. grin.

OH!!! My family always gives nuts and oranges in the stockings. When my grandmother was a little girl her father used to borrow 500.00 in the spring for seed. All year they tended it and in the fall they would sell the cotton and get JUST enough to pay back the loan, get the kids each a pair of shoes, and have enough left over for a bag of nuts and a crate of oranges for Christmas. We always get nuts and oranges in our stockings to remind us of that!!!

Jena,
I would buy a nice turkey. Ask the kids to bring the sides.( I always felt left out when it came to the meal time at Christmas because I was an adult and I wanted to bring something for christmas dinner and mom and dad always told me no don't worry about it we have it covered.) Or tell the adult kids what you want them to bring that way there will be no guessing like tom have sue to make slaw. John make your famous mashed potatoes with those wonderful little chives. Or betty make green bean casserole. that way they will feel apart of the holiday and maybe take some of the stress off you.

ok presents. I agree with the albums the best gift ever was when DH family gave me all of his baby pics and pics of his dad when he was little. That was one gift I did not want to return. And my daughter at age 11 already wants it. I'm sure when she gets older I will make her an album for her to keep. One year my mom and dad did not have any money for a birthday present for me so my mom gave me the bible she carried on her wedding day.I still keep it. One other idea, if your kids wants a family tree it is a great idea to do as long a tree as you know that way they will have something to pass down for generation after generation. Also make little notes about the family, like uncle fred like making snow angels. Make it not only a name on the tree but what the family was like when they were alive. Some times that can keep the memory of that member alive long after they have passed.

You know your family best. What do you think they would like best?
Star

Wow! What great ideas!

If nothing else, this thread is getting me in the spirit. I do have decorations and ornaments, just haven't wanted to get them out. I'm inspired now! I think we will do that this weekend. I think I will string the lights like party streamers and hang the ornaments from them. Someone on here has donated a wreath to us, so I will hang that on the wall and put presents underneath.

I have some piney looking trees in the yard. I don't know what they are exactly, but bringing in some cuttings will make the house smell christmasy.

I'm not sure what else I'll do, but that's a good start. At least it will get me focused on Christmas instead of ignoring it. I'm thinking those lights strung up all over the house will be pretty cool.

Thanks
Jena

If they are old enough to be married they are old enough to understand you dont have much to spend. I would focus on the younger kid and the grand baby, The rest can get couples gifts and no a gift each.

jena,

did this once long ago . . . the ones who live with you (and yourself) get some butcher or brown wrapping mailer paper. Draw an xmas tree, hang it on a closet door. Then have a little fun and decorate it with stuff you've drawn or cut out from magazines, or made with your hands. Old christmas cards, leftover ribbons,. either use strong heavy duty tape, or carpenter tacks to hang up paper, because once you start decorating it, it gets heavy.

Do the 2 or 3 oldest really need a gift this year? Cant they help kick in for fixings for a large holiday meal? They probably know what straits you're in. Give the 12 yr old and the baby a couple of small things.

hth,
Sherry

When my oldest was about 3, I was really struggling financially. In addition to being a parent, I'm the oldest of 4, and I felt some obligation towards my youngers...the boys were then 18 & 15, sister was 5...I don't remember exactly how much $ I allowed for Christmas spending, but the boys got BREAKFAST CEREAL that had their favorite child-hood cartoon characters on them (spiderman was one, not sure the other, maybe star wars) & I made them each an ornament & gave them a note about why I was glad to be their older sister. The remainder of the $ was spent on my son & my little sister. The adults all knew & understood; and I had told them ahead of time that I'd rather they took care of the little ones instead of getting me anything. === The adults in our family don't exchange gifts, per say. We look at yard sales & thrift stores & dollar store throughout the year for little things that they would like/use. Sometimes you get a box FULL of stuff, other years fewer things. It's just fun to see what people have found over the year. My boys are the youngsters in the family, my sister just turned 18, so she's still "a kid" this year...but next year NO :) === I like the ideas above, photos; ornaments; Be sure to get at least the two youngest ones handprints & use them for ornaments & date them; use a picture of each person to make a personalized ornament...use construction paper & cut out "ornament" shapes, glue the picture (cut out in a circle) onto each ornament. The ornaments decorate whatever you use for your tree, or just hang 'em on the wall; then each person can take their ornament home. Are the significant others new to the family? One year, for my cousins new DH, we made him a collage picture frame of my cousin growing up...HE LOVED IT! Do you still have the older kids' baby clothes? My mom gave me my "come home from the hospital" outfit a few years ago...very special.
I agree with the olders "potlucking" dinner. For us, Thanksgiving gives us plenty of turkey, so we usually have ham...I like the idea of chicken, too :)
I also agree with whoever suggested just being together. Do you live where there are lots of Christmas light displays? That's one of our MUST DO activities on Christmas Eve. Come home & have hot chocolate & sing some carols, play a game.

Jena if you have piney looking trees, you have Christmas! Oh the smell! I put the pine cuttings in all the windowsills and we have those candles you put in the windows. So pretty!

I thought of another no money gift easily made but appreciated. It's very easy to make those bag holders. You sew a tube and put elastic at both ends. I use material from clothes that are outdated or have a stain in them (just don't use that part). Perfectly nice. I even scrounge the elastic from clothes put in the rag bin (I harvest buttons, elastic and zippers). EVERYONE needs one of those and I even need a few more.

CPEYUS: I really like the cereal idea! We do something similar for birthdays. When the kids were small we let them have a bowl of "sugar cereal" for breakfast on saturdays. Everything laid out for them, their bowls on a lower shelf in the frig with milk in it. Oh they looked forward to it and so did mom and dad because we got an extra hour of sleep!

Anyway, for birthdays, we would buy a box of their favorite sugar cereal (they could have it on their BD even if it wasn't a saturday! WOOHOO). This was indeed a treat since everyday was home make eggs, bacon, sausage, bisquits, oatmeal--you know boring stuff for kids.

My point is that sometimes the littlest things are the most sweet and memorable. We talked about this last night. The kids were saying that they appreciated things more because we don't buy things for them except for birthday or Christmas presents and then only very limited and always includes NEEDS. They can see how kids who are given everything they ask for do not appreciate and are not happier for it.

We never have a tree, however there are no little children in my family. What we do is have a present basket. We have a very large basket (a laundry basket would work) and we decorate the basket with greenery, ribbons, garlands and ornaments. All of the presents go in and around the basket. This could be done with a large cardboard box. It really is quite festive and looks great. We have been known to decorate a ficus tree or other large houseplant and put it with the basket. The gifts are mostly the same kind that have been mentioned before, usually something handmade or something we have found at a library sale or yard sale. Some of the best are the homemade food gifts or something made by loving hands.

freelove

On Christmas Eve, call around to the stores that sell cut trees and see if they're selling them at a discount. A couple of years ago the Home Depot here was selling their trees for a dollar on Christmas Eve so they could clear them out. If you find someone who is, go get one and set it up for your kids to decorate that evening. If not, any of the other ideas are great, too.

I like the idea of making stockings and filling them with small items. I've always found great things at the dollar stores. Kitchen gadgets, bath items, mittens, small games, etc. Baked goods and food items are wonderful gifts for the couples. Board games are on sale this time of year and are so much fun. You can also buy fleece on sale at Joann's and fringe the edges to give as throws. A yard and a half makes a nice big throw to fold up and keep on the end of the couch for snuggling under. Or, buy a cheap full/queen size blanket, take the binding off of it and cut it into four pieces, fringe the edges and embroider a name onto each square. I've seen those blankets for $4 or $5 each and embroidery floss is about 30 cents a skein.

For dinner, make a feast with what you have. Bake some of those chickens and make Swedish meatballs, then fill your table with bowls of sweet and sour red cabbage, mashed potatoes, vegetables and breads. $100 is a pretty good amount of money to work with. As others have said, it's the family being together that makes it special.

midkiffsjoy: my mother always did the tangerine, apple and nuts in the stocking, too. It was healthier and took up more room than candy. I think it was in memory of her childhood in a family of 10 during the Depression. I do it for my kids and tell them what life was like back then.

Jena:

Aren't you the lucky one, having a Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas! Get a copy of the prairie book at the library and read the Christmas chapter out loud with everyone gathered around. We decorated a large tomato cage one year. After the greenery and lights were woven around, you could hardly tell it from the real thing. My kids loved it. You could probably borrow one no one is using at this time of year! Get bayberry, pine and cinnamon scented candles at the dollar store and soon the smells will be blended to make Christmas memories. In my first apartment I had no room for a tree and no funds anyway, so my friends made a green felt tree, put it on the wall and we played "pin-the-ornaments on the tree". It was adorable. Popcorn is cheap to string and pine cones are free if you have a park nearby. Have the family over for a decorating contest: supply the cones and greenery and you'll be amazed what they can do. Tell them it is an episode of Decorating on a Dime, Christmas edition. Find a church-sponsered caroling event and ride along (they usually serve cocoa and cookies afterward). Next year may be better financially, but I'll bet you have the fondest memories of this one as it will get you out of the holiday rut. Let us know how it all goes...our hearts are with you.

A Mothers Prayer
 

Jena, it sounds like you have raised some wonderful kids. As the old saying goes "It is better to give than to receive". Just remember to give from the heart. It means more than any store bought gift ever will. Keep it simple and just express the love you have for each of Gods gift to you (your children). It's the memories of Christmas, not the store bought gifts that count. A christmas tree (if you can't afford one) is not necessary. I'm sure you have some old christmas decorations from years past when your children were little. Just decorate the house and add some christmas smells. (baked goods, oranges, apples, etc...). If you have raised your children right (and it sounds like you have) they will understand your lack of funds this year. Just remember the real reason we celebrate this season. You've been with your children thru good times and bad, and that is more than anyone could ever ask for.

I hope the ones that read my posts don't get tired of reading the poems I've written, but here is one I wrote for a friend of mine. I think it fits with what your trying to say to your children. Hope you enjoy.
Merry Christmas!!

“A Mothers Prayer”

It been so many years ago , but seems like yesterday…
From heaven came my children , “ Dear Father let me pray”…
“O Lord you helped me through the years , to raise my children right…
When feedings came at 2 a.m. , you helped me through the night…
When sickness came into my house , I bowed my head to pray…
And somehow you would answer , to help me through the day…
You helped me through the good times , you helped me through the bad…
And when “I had it up to here” , you helped me not get mad…
Through broken bones and broken hearts , and sisters broken doll…
I prayed that you would guide me , and you answered every call…
For now I’m in my golden years , and I’ll soon be going home…
Please guide me through those pearly gates , let me kneel beneath your throne…
But before you come to call me home , I have one last request…
That all my children understand , their mother did her best…
I did my best to show them , I love each and every one…
And hope that they will realize , their lives have just begun…
This prayer is for my children , please watch them Lord I pray…
And when they stray into the dark , please help them light the way…
They are more then just my children , much more than that to me…
For they are my Angels , they are my life you see…
My children they mean everything , and this O Lord I ask…
That you love them and protect them , as I’ve done Lord in the past”…

make mints or cookies, get tins from the dollor store or use canning jars that you wrap in dish towels, that you get from k-mart. They then get 2 gifts. Mints are cheap to make and are so good. You can make personal cards with your computor useing "free printable cards.com". Everybody that gets one from me loves it. Christmas is very tight here this year.We are getting everybody to pitch in money or time to put in running water for a friend that had an MI and needs the help. It makes all the people feel good and that is what Christmas is all about. For the 12 year old I would ask the older kids that can afford gifts to be good to her this Christmas and get her something she really wants. Get a tree from the woods. At 12 I guess she is into music, if so I can burn a CD for her of some songs she likes, That will cost nothing. Just PM me if I can help out with the cards or CD's. Merry Christmas. This goes for anyone who needs it.

I'd go for stuffing too. No salt for me though. Breadcrumbs, sage, chopped onion. For mine, I'd add some of your hamburger to the stuffing as well, and stuff the chickens REALLY full. Stuff the breast as well, from the neck, between meat and skin. Make more than enough stuffing, and bake the rest of it as a meat-loaf beside the chickens. Note - that's multiple chickens - you can always freeze leftovers. Use any drippings along with flour and chopped onions and a packet of chicken noodle soup mix to make a savoury chicken/onion gravy. Baked potato, baked pumpkin, peeled carrots cut diagonally into ovals and boiled with green beans, rice.

Serve a soup as a first course. More chopped onions and hamburger, enough packets of chicken noodle soup mix and maybe French onion soup mix, maybe a few chopped carrots and green beans for colour and boiled rice for body, since we've got them anyway. Add water, stir so hamburger grains and rice grains are separate, bring to boil then cook ten minutes to make soup.

Third course: get a plum pudding or a fruit cake, but serve sliced as pudding with custard or soft ice cream over it.

One Christmas I made draw-string bags rather than wrapping or stockings. I put whatever contents in a large zip-lock baggie inside those. You could do two of those per family.

I stuffed one with dollar-store games - couple of decks of cards, cheap folding chess&checkers travel set, dominoes, other board games. It's a general fill-the empty-hours non-TV entertainment set, when adults would rather interact with each other than get one-way entertainment stuffed down their throats from the TV. It's also entertainment when travelling with children. Mine was part of things for all the children in my life - all approaching or in teens.

I also made an el-cheapo travel sewing kit. I made them to fit mostly in a panatella cigar tin, but whatever you've got. For mine, whatever didn't fit in the tin went loose in a draw-string bag with the tin. Folding scissors, card of needles, thimble, bag of tiny spools of many colours of thread, bigger spools of white and black and navy thread, card of shirt or blouse buttons, some iron-on patch material, some iron-in fusible-web hemming material. I pinched some needles off the big card and put them on a smaller piece of cardboard, along with the tiny spools of white and black thread, folding scissors, button card trimmed to just the buttons, fusible hemming web - all into the little 4"x4"x½" cigar tin as their travel repair-kit (you could make a much smaller drawstring bag).

That was twenty years ago, and I know some of those sewing kits or their contents are still in use, as are some of the large drawstring bags (toybags, knitting or embroidery yarn, fishing odds'n'ends, many things). Separately, the games are still in use too, although sometimes with the next generation.

If you wanted you could add a little 50¢ something picked up individually from an op shop for each person - their VERY OWN unique (since all the other members of the set are broken) drinking glass or mug, a bowl for the bedroom to dump pocket contents, whatever.

The combination of thought, effort and usefulness is just about unbeatable.