As we say goodbye to the summer, and start to welcome in the autumn, for many of us, thoughts also turn to Christmas. Getting the house ready for family, planning the ultimate Christmas feasts, and choosing gifts for everyone are all the sorts of things that we start to give some thought to at this time of the year.
With many people worried about the cost of living and the rising fuel bills this year, it can be tricky to plan the festive season without getting into financial ruin! However, here are some great ideas for how you can do things on a budget, or alternative ways to do Christmas…
Saving on Electricity – Christmas light displays may be something that you want to avoid this year if you are wanting to cut down on your electricity bills. Instead, why not re-visit our ancestor’s yuletide traditions of ‘bringing in the green’. Foraging for Christmas decorations outside and making your own wreaths and centrepieces is a great way to decorate your home with no cost of electricity. Be sure to leave plenty for the wildlife. You can also get some special floral displays from places like this Gloucestershire florist https://flowershedtewkesbury.co.uk/wedding-flowers-tewkesbury-gloucestershire to brighten up your home.
Creative Gifts – Making a gift for someone not only saves money, but also by putting in the time and the effort it means that the gift is likely to be cherished and well received. Whether you are a dab hand at painting, or a great cook, there are loads of different things that you can make that will be thoughtful Christmas gifts. Home made wines and jams, pictures, or a photo in a frame of a special time for the person are all lovely gifts that you can make yourself.
Planning a meal on a Budget – Christmas dinner is a feast that most of us look forward to, but it certainly doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. The key to this is good organisation and research. Make a list of what you want and plan where you can buy it from. Buying things that you can freeze and store in the run up also means that you won’t have to buy a lot of food in one go.
