Thanks for your help

Thank you to everyone who sent me ideas for 'trimming Christmas,' they were much appreciated. I think it went OK, no one booed or got up and left early so I guess it was a success. Most of the ideas I came up with weren't too original and most people have heard them before. I'll share a few that I found most interesting/helpful. Just promise you won't boo or leave my blog before you read them:

• send e-cards or postcards instead of regular cards. You can make postcards from a picture or cut an old card in half.
• make a good deed a day advent calendar. Small stuff like thank your teacher today.
• find a friend to save money with. Host a party together, split bulk food you can't eat alone, share tips
• get a big roll of newsprint and have your kids color it for wrapping paper
• if you are good a making a certain thing but have already given it to all your friends, find someone else who has a crafting talent and trade with them. You make gifts for their friends and them for yours.
• print coloring pages from the internet to use for decoration
• buy a pack of green and red balloons from the party store and put them up all over
• make paper snowflakes to hang up. Great to have kids do while waiting for dinner every night. By Christmas you'll have a whole blizzard - it's the only way for us.
  
• make your kids birthdays a bigger deal and make Christmas smaller, spreads out the cost
  
• White elephant party where everyone brings a box of cereal instead of gifts
• Make a rule that everyone gets four gifts for Christmas: something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.

That's all I have... thanks for making it to the end. I wish I could give you a frugal treat of graham cracker ice cream sandwiches like the ladies in our ward did. Find something yummy to eat anyway, it is almost Christmastime after all.