After weathering the financial storm for the last year, DH's business has taken a sharp downward turn since about July.  Actually "plummeting" would be a much better description.   DH and I have been discussing it and we realized that we will have no choice but to scale back this year.

Thankfully, I've been shopping year round so the gifts for the cousins, nieces, nephews have all been taken care of.  Our children are 11, 17, 17 and 19 - we usually get them on "big gift" and a few small ones.   "Big gifts" as defined by our children don't look very feasible.  I have a few items for the adults on the list - DH's uncles, my parents, DH's parents and brother, my sister and her husband.  And then theire's DD's swim coach

However, I refuse to allow a "little thing" like an empty wallet ruin Christmas! LOL!  I've been telling the kids for years that Christmas is not about loot collection - I guess the lesson is going to reinforced this year.

Here's my plan:-

Decorations - I am NOT buying any new ones.  Thanks to my Christmas decoration addiction, we have LOTS and if we "need" more, we'll be making them from items we have on hand (e.g. fake Christmas crackers made from the cardboard tubes from the toilet paper etc)

"Big Gifts" - for the kids and DH.   DH promised youngest DD the old clunker laptop if she gets good grades this term.  I might get her an inexpensive webcam.  No tech toys for the older girls - I'll probably buy them clothes on clearance.  I've been seeing lots of good sales with deep discounts on clothes, so I can buy them what will look like lots of clothes for next to nothing!    I have no ideas big-gifts-on-a-budget for DH and DSS, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Gifts for the other adults 

I've started buying items for a spa basket for my sister.  I'll make what I have do - maybe make her something else to go with it.

DH's uncles will still get the food hamper we planned - they eat lots of canned foods so it'll be easy to buy pick up a can with my weekly grocery shopping.  I will spend less than I budgeted originally.

MIL - I'll buy her an inexpensive blouse ($10 or under) - she says that I'm the only person that can buy her clothes that fit her properly.

FIL - he'll be happy with a box of chocolates, that he will probably finish completely on Christmas Day ($6)

BIL - absolutely no clue

Mom - too many allergies for me to put together a dollar store spa basket for her.  She's also hard to fit - so I have stopped buying her clothes.  She also hates gifts that are for the house.   I have no ideas for her yet

Dad - no clue, maybe an inexpensive pair of "dressy" shorts which seems to be his unofficial uniform lately ($15 or less)

Swim Coach - an inexpensive trophy with an engraving that says "World's Greatest Coach" or something similar

Gift wrapping - fabric gift bags and recycled materials on hand will be used for gift wrapping. I can also make some boxes with card I have already.I might buy a sheet or two of colourful kiddie gift wrap for the 2 little ones on the list (ages 2 and 3).

Christmas Eve Dinner - we have our nearest and dearest over for Christmas Eve dinner - thought of nixing it, but the family would be disappointed. I'd have to see if I can come up with a Christmassy menu with our usual "everyday" foods

Charitable Donations - I will cut back, but won't eliminate our charitable gifts!  I believe I have enough items in my gift stash to put together a shoebox - no additional purchases necessary.

What would you do when faced with a tight-budget Christmas?

 When my husband and I got married, I soon found out the tradition in his family was to buy gifts for everyone, neices, nephews, inlaws, siblings, grandparents, etc.  It was not that way in my family, we bought for immediate family and sent cards to extended family.  I tried that for about five years, but it got to be too much when my husband got laid off.  I let everyone know that we would not be able to buy presents for everyone like we had, and I think they were as relieved as I was.  The kids got too many presents before, and the adults were able to buy anything they really wanted anyway.  Now when we get together for Christmas it's much more relaxing because I don't have to run around and worry about what I'm buying everyone.  The grandparents still buy the kids a present but it's not out of hand like it was before.

While creating a holiday atmosphere is important, people are now starting to see what an expensive burden it is to maintain, especially after the kind of year 2009 has been. The previous poster mentioned that when they announced the "cutbacks in the gift giving" many folks in her family were relieved. You may find that a Christmas meal with everyone bringing something would be more in the "spirit of the season". The biggest problem would be for the children. Do you think you could take the older kids aside and explain the reality of things? That this year has been really tough for everybody and ask if they would they be willing to just allow the youngest one to get a gift.

timzagain:

What would you do when faced with a tight-budget Christmas?

We did have one really tight year and our kids ( ages 5 and 9) got that year was one large Lego set each. They still remember that Christmas and had no idea at the time how broke we were until we told them recently.

Don't laugh, but my dh and I decided this would be a thrift store christmas, we both have 50 dollars and that's all we are spending on each other if that. The kids are getting 50 dollars a piece, they usually get 150 plus a ton of gifts spoiled brats, my mom and stepdad same thing 50 a piece, the grandkids I've already bought a couples pieces of clothing, my dh XBox which is like new, a ton of games ( dh won at work a couple of years ago rarely used) and 25 dollars a piece, 2 boys 5 and 8. We usually spend about 900-1000 dollars on christmas this year 350. To eliminate the shock on my kids behalf I've already told them.

I think you are on the right track. We don't go overboard anyways in our family.  kept it $100 or less for the kids.  inlaws and mom harder because they don't need anything or can't eat it anymore. so more gift cards.

I think it is in the presentation.  xmas is about special cookies and foods so even shortbread is great and better dipped in chocolate. spicy cookies. different shortbreads..ginger, almond etc.  I make fudge and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.  not an expensive recipes and makes a 9 x 13 pan. truffles are easy and fancier.  spiced nuts.  keep it cheap with peanuts with just some more expensive nuts in it like almonds.   people seem to like it.  my inlaws love spiced nuts.

  If you are crafty and have supplies...can you make things like a set of cards birthday, get well etc for people, make slippers, scarfs, potholders.  I made a couple of dishcloths for mil as part of her gift/stocking plus a couple of  betty crocker candles from the dollar store. making slippers for the kids.

dollar store for great baskets as you already know. 

christmas dinner too. just fancy it up a bit. mashed potatoes with cream cheese for example, sprinkle with paprika.   garnishes do a lot!    just using the xmas decorations will help.  

xmas is about family and food so I think people are happy with both.

I have a lot of gifts I got on sale already or from the thrift store. the latest a new in the box kids sewing machine from value village.

timzagain:

Dad - no clue, maybe an inexpensive pair of "dressy" shorts which seems to be his unofficial uniform lately ($15 or less)

 Timzagain, I'm on my way out the door (heading out to some thrift stores to do some Christmas shopping! ), but your post caught my eye and when I saw this bit I wanted to respond real quick. If you have a Target in your area, they've got a lot of men's shorts on clearance at the moment for ten dollars or less. As well, they've recently had some really nice polo shirts on clearance for around four or five dollars. If they still have some left, you might just find shorts AND a shirt that go together for a great gift for your dad--and still stay within your $15!

Of course, I think other stores will probably have some good deals like that right about now, too, but I was at Target this week and just happened to notice.

 

 

I've given the whole Christmas thing a lot more thought and I've come up with a few other ideas:-

• Mom collects vases - I saw a really pretty one yesterday at the dollar store - white with hints of her favourite colour, green.  I'll buy her a pair of those
• Also for Mom - she's always complaining about the clutter on her computer desk (she has a part-time work from home job) - last week at the dollar store, I saw a shelf that sits on the monitor. It'll be perfect for getting some of her stuff organized
• DH loves to grill - I'll make an apron and add an inexpensive barbecue cook book, maybe some BBQ sauces & spices. Might also buy him a pair of the same inexpensive "dressy" shorts I'm getting for my dad
• DD#1  will be off to college next year - I'm going to start putting together a booklet of frugal tips, college survival tips etc.  I can have it spiral bound at the office for free!  She'll also get a nice grown up journal - leather looking cover.  I might be able to get a piece of wood from my dad to make a lap board - she refuses to study at a desk!  I can decoupage a shoe box and fill it up with inexpensive scarves and belts (dollar store), jewelry that I've made, etc.  She's an accessory junkie!  It's kind of thing I'd normally use as stocking stuffers, but I'll dress up the presentation a bit to make it look more substantial.

DD is young right now and with the gifts that will be shipped to us or brought by my parents, she will have so much.  There's no need for DH & I to go overboard and break the bank.  I think if she was older, like your teens, I would explain to her the facts as they are -- yes there will be Christmas, but it won't be as big and we won't spend as much money this year.  We had a tough Christmas my senior year of high school, but it's also the Christmas I remember most of all. 

Thanks!  The kids are old enough and wise enough to realize that money isn't flowing right now!  We can't spend hundreds of dollars on expensive gifts, but I'd still like a bit of wow-on-a-budget. Strangely enough, I'm kind of looking forward to the challenge - I love to find creative solutions to life's ups and downs.  It's going to be an object lesson for us all!

I have a couple of crafty type projects in mind - I just have to figure out how to complete them without the kids actually seeing them before Christmas.  

 

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately there is no Target here in Barbados!  But there is another local store which has some "Dockers" type shorts for about US $10 - I'll have to snatch up a pair quickly before everyone else finds my potential gold mine! 

I'm going to encourage the kids to go the DIY route for their gifts.  Two of our three girls are artsy/ crafty types like me, so that won't be a problem.  #3 is pretty hopeless at things artistic.  Maybe the other girls will make gifts on her behalf!  DSS is working full time, so he'll figure out his own gift giving strategy.  DIY is NOT his strong point!