Christmas is coming and the run up to the big day can be costly. From Christmas parties to festive fairs, costs can soon spiral, but they don’t have to. There are plenty of free and low-cost activities to try in December to get you in the seasonal spirit. Here are our top 25:
1 – Plan a DIY festive photo shoot
Avoid paying for a photographer and hold your own DIY photo shoot with family, friends or pets. Collect props, from Santa hats to crackers, and snap away. Sign up for a free Exaactly account, upload the pictures to your digital locker and share your Exaactly address with everyone in the shoot.
2 – Bake Christmas cookies
Buy some inexpensive festive cookie cutters and enjoy an afternoon of baking. Choose a recipe that uses ingredients you already have at home to cut costs. Ask little ones to decorate the cookies to keep them entertained.
3 – Create a Christmas playlist
Nothing gets you in the mood for Christmas like listening to festive tunes – fact! Download the Spotify app and search for Christmas playlists or make your own. Get a free trial for Spotify Premium and have ad-free music, or choose the free version if you don’t mind the odd ad.
4 – Go for a winter walk
Winter walks can be just as enjoyable as summer ones if you wrap up warm! Look out for flora and fauna that epitomise the season, like holly and robins. Bonus points if you choose a day with lots of snow.
5 – Organise a festive quiz
Set up a Christmas quiz night for everyone to enjoy. Write your own questions or find a quiz online and print it out. Pick out Christmas-themed chocolates as low-cost prizes.
6 – Make a gingerbread house
Nothing says Christmas like the smell of gingerbread wafting through the house! Rather than buying a pricey gingerbread house, make one yourself. Try this recipe.
7 – Track Santa on Christmas Eve
Kids (big and small) can track Santa’s progress as he travels from the North Pole to drop off everyone’s presents on Christmas Eve. Check out the NORAD Santa Tracker for free on 24th December.
8 – Grow your own Christmas tree
It might be too late to grow a tree for this year, but you can get prepared for Christmases to come! Find a pot, plant some seeds (Norway spruces and Nordmann firs make attractive Christmas trees) and grow the tree in your garden. The RHS has some handy tips for growing your tree and caring for it when you bring it indoors.
9 – Host a festive film night
Whether it’s The Snowman or Home Alone, there are loads of classic Christmas films to choose from. Pick one from a TV channel or streaming service you already have and all you’ll need to buy is the popcorn.
10 – Plan a potluck Christmas supper
Rather than meeting loved ones for an expensive meal out, hold a potluck supper at someone’s house instead. It’ll be cheaper than a restaurant and you’ll get to try a variety of food too.
11 – Save Christmas recipes with Exaactly
Chances are you and your loved ones have tried-and-tested Christmas recipes stored in lots of places. Why not add all of them to your Exaactly locker? Then the whole family can easily find them and enjoy them for years to come.
12 – Play festive games
There’s no need to buy expensive board games when you can create your own Christmas games for free! Try a bauble and spoon race, play Christmas-themed who am I? or get loved ones to guess the names of Christmas tunes.
13 – Craft Christmas tree decorations
Christmas baubles can be pricey, but you can craft your own instead. Make salt dough (you’ll only need water, flour and salt), use your cookie cutters to cut out different shapes and bake them. Don’t forget to cut a circle in the top of each to thread ribbon to hang them. Leave your decorations as they are for a Scandi look or paint them in traditional Christmas colours.
14 – Make Christmas crafts
Now you’ve decorated the tree why not make more low-cost decorations? White paper can be made into an angel garland, wool can be turned into a giant pom pom wreath, pinecones sprayed gold and added to a mantelpiece
15 – Send digital Christmas cards
Create digital Christmas cards and email them to friends and family to save on the cost of postage.
15 – Find bargain Christmas books
Winter is the perfect season for a cosy night in with a book. Why not read some Christmas books to get you in the festive spirit? Check out your local charity shop or World of Books for a bargain.
17 – Go carol singing
Find your nearest church, which usually hold carol singing at this time of year for free or a donation. There may be free Christmas fairs with carol singing too. See what you can find in your local area.
18 – Hold a Christmas scavenger hunt
Set up a Christmas scavenger hunt to find festive items in your home or neighbourhood.
19 – Try Christmas karaoke
No karaoke machine? No problem! There are plenty of apps, like Smule, you can use for free Christmas karaoke.
20 – Create festive food
Festive food isn’t just for Christmas parties and the big day. There are cheap ways to make meals more festive throughout the season. Use your cookie cutters and make mini Christmas tree pizzas, create a Christmas tree charcuterie board or make Santa pancakes.
21 – See the Christmas lights
Find out where your local Christmas lights are and enjoy them for free. Spend an evening checking out the official light display in your area and drive round local streets to see all the lit-up houses too.
22 – Make Christmas scent-sational
Make Christmas potpourri for a delicious-smelling home. Buy some inexpensive dried flower petals, drop fragrance oil – think frankincense, myrrh or pine oil – on to them and display them in a bowl.
23 – Craft Christmas presents
Create Christmas presents, to save money and as a fun activity too. Gift loved ones Christmas cookies or homemade potpourri.
24 – Wrap it up
A square scarf or square of fabric – have a wardrobe sort out or check out charity shops – can be used as a sustainable alternative to wrapping paper. Here’s a tutorial to follow.
25 – Share updates on Exaactly
December is a month for making memories. You can share everything you’re up to in your Exaactly digital locker. Add photos, notes and location pins, then make a Christmas-themed Exaactly address, e.g., festivefun@thesmiths. Pass on your Exaactly address (and a password, if used) to loved ones so they can share the festive fun.