Making the Holidays Affordable, Part II: Decorations and Festivities on a Budget

In Part I of our Making the Holidays Affordable series, we explored potential ways to save money on gift-giving. We saw that the average American spends nearly $1,000 on presents alone, but what about decorations, festive feasts, and other seasonal activities? These cherished traditions can cost an additional $350 per family. 

While it feels like these costs just keep adding up, there are quick and easy ways to save money during this special time of year. You don’t have to spend a lot to make the holidays feel priceless for your friends and family.  

Decorations

Every year, tons of old baubles, ribbons, and packing material, as well as unwanted Christmas trees end up in landfills. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the amount of extra waste increases by 25 percent in volume or by about 1,000 pounds of trash per household. 

Here are some ideas to make holiday decorating and entertaining sustainable and affordable:  

1. String popcorn or cranberries together to hang on your tree or around your home. Dried orange slices and beads can also be used to create a festive garland.   
2. Use the outdoors to your advantage. Collect pinecones, leaves, and evergreen branches to decorate for free! Supplies for a homemade wreath or table setting can be gathered on a single walk around the park.    
3. Consider using items you have on hand to decorate. Houseplants can make great stand-ins for Christmas trees, while paper snowflakes can serve as replacements for traditional ornaments.    

Food

Although it is tempting to make an extravagant holiday feast, excess food often ends up in the trash. The EPA estimates that food waste increases by more than 25% during the holidays. At Thanksgiving, Americans throw out $293 million in turkey alone! 

Here are some tips on how to save money on holiday meals:    

1. Cut back on volume. Try to calculate a reasonable estimate of how much each guest will eat, as planning out meals will help you create a budget and lead to less waste. You can also limit the number of side dishes you make to one or two of the favorites.  
2. Ask others to contribute a dish. You don’t have to take on all of the food costs yourself! Consider assigning each guest a side dish or a beverage item to bring with them.    
3. Seek out affordable brands. No one will notice that you used the grocery store brand canned green beans or condensed milk. Look for budget-friendly brands when buying ingredients to save money.  

Activities

It is important to remember that your guests have come to see you, not to see expensive performances. Your town likely has many exciting options for inexpensive or even free seasonal entertainment. 

Get the festivities started with these ideas:   

1. Visit the local light displays in your neighborhood or a nearby park. Your guests are sure to be filled with holiday spirit after taking in the colorful sights. 
2. Have a holiday movie night with homemade hot cocoa. You can use a movie you already own or rent one from your local library. 
3. Attend a free holiday play, concert, parade, or market. Many cities have free holiday events throughout November and December. Try checking their official website or Facebook page for more information. 

Charitable Donations

If giving to those less fortunate is part of your holiday tradition, but you don’t have a lot of cash to donate, consider these ideas: 

1. Donate items. Host a coat drive in your community to donate the coats you collect to a local shelter. You can also collect old blankets and towels for an animal shelter. 
2. Donate your time. Visit a nursing home and take time to talk with – and listen to – the residents. 
3. Be kind to nature. Pick up trash at a nearby park with friends and family as a gift to your local wildlife. You can also make simple bird feeders using pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed. 

Experiencing the holidays to their fullest potential does not have to be elaborate or expensive. With these cost-saving ideas, you can partake in all of your favorite holiday activities and even make new family-favorite traditions. 

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.