Comments on: Kids, Christmas, and Frugality: Eight Tips

By: Cascia Talbert

Cascia Talbert — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:22:50 +0000

Thank you for this great information! Now that I have 3 children I am on a strict budget this Holiday season.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:19:29 +0000

My parents did the video thing, on a huge Canon camcorder with a separate VCR unit that dad had to sling over his shoulder. We pulled it out of the closet recently and marveled at the sheer monstrosity of what was once the state of the art in home video recording, and how incredibly compact the advances in technology have allowed devices like that to become. Like the tip suggested, we watch several years of Christmas videos on Christmas eve then go ride around to look at all the Christmas lights in our area. Watching those videos with my parents and sister, and being able to share them with my wife and daughter, is more satisfying to me than any gift under the tree. I firmly believe that any purchase that allows you to capture memories like that to share with your own family years or even decades into the future is money well spent.

My wife and I both agree that LED lights will be on our shopping list, maybe when the Christmas stuff goes on clearance soon. Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Appfunds

Appfunds — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:18:00 +0000

I`ll buy some gold jewelry. It`s nice and provides real value.

By: Frugal pursuit

Frugal pursuit — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:52:33 +0000

Getting kids started on writing thank you notes young is a great idea. I’m guilty of not being very responsive (a bit lazy I can admit). Having my parents reinforce the importance of writing a note–priceless.

I style myself as the literary aunt–the one who gave all the nieces and nephews books as gifts. It has been hard to find toys that stand up to the test of time, use creativity and aren’t completely annoying. Some toys in our family are on their third generation of use!

By: plonkee

plonkee — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:57:01 +0000

When we were younger, we used to each get one “main present” from our parents and one from Father Christmas (Santa). We also had Christmas stockings full of things probably bought at the equivalent of the dollar store.

As we got older, my parents made the Christmas stockings bit last longer by turning it into a treasure hunt with clues from Father Christmas. It’s a tradition that lasted a long time, and is still looked back on fondly.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:02:35 +0000

Three or four gifts, for one person? Even that seems excessive to me. It was a rare Christmas that I got TWO from the same person. I can’t remember if my parents gave gifts separately or as a unit, though.

By: Susanna a.k.a. Cheap Like Me

Susanna a.k.a. Cheap Like Me — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:40:42 +0000

Great points. I have to agree also with investing in ornaments – we have a collection of glass ornaments that predates our marriage 12 years ago, as well as ornaments that my parents gave me each year as a child. Just about all of our ornaments have treasured memories, and our tree is beautiful.

Our daughter will receive just a few gifts this year, but all gifts she wants. And we’re leaning toward things that are expensive — but she’s been asking for them consistently for over a year, so I’m sure she’ll be interested and they will endure.

Now to persuade Grandma to stop the onslaught …

By: SomeFatChick

SomeFatChick — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:36:50 +0000

A note on Christmas videos – once your children (read: daughter) reach teenagerdom, you may need to rethink how this is done. At the very least, don’t argue when she wants to shower and/or put on some makeup first. Really, it’s worth the extra 15 minute wait to avoid the pure grumpy/evil that will show up on the video and haunt her forever. Not that I would know or anything…

By: km

km — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:15:33 +0000

If your kids whine about writing thank-you notes, explain that people who write thank-you notes get more presents. I’m living proof!

Of course people should write notes because they *want* to so they can express their gratitude, but the materialistic argument doesn’t hurt, either. :-)

By: Allie

Allie — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:15:13 +0000

Great idea on the thank you notes. I love receiving them from the children of a friend of mine. They encourage so much, from matters, to writing skills, thinking skills, etc. Instead of purchasing impersonal notes, what about using card stock and letting the child draw a picture instead. An adult can write the words and a handmade note is so much more special.

By: !wanda

!wanda — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:08:32 +0000

Also, my parents would buy things I needed, like clothes, toothpaste, and school supplies, and wrap them and put them under the tree. This practice inflates the box count without really incurring extra costs, aside from the wrapping paper. We kids didn’t mind, since there were lots of boxes under the tree.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:00:13 +0000

My mother tells me that the Christmas I was 3, we were not able to finish unwrapping all the gifts on Christmas morning. Not that there were so many – my father was untenured faculty at a junior college – but because I insisted on playing with each as I opened it. I still think this is a great idea for finding some real meaning in the materialism of gift piles, and providing a way of editing down the pile for next year.

By: !wanda

!wanda — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:45:29 +0000

Do any of those natural ornaments last? My parents have been using the same ornaments for at least 20 years now.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:38:31 +0000

Thanks for the article, it’s great!

About half of the ornaments on my parents’ Christmas tree were hand-made. Will you be doing that too, or sticking to the natural decorations?

My family also has a tradition of each child recieving an ornament as a gift every year. Now I’m a parent myself, and I have enough ornaments in my box (each with the year given marked on the bottoms) to decorate my own tree!

By: FinanceIsPersonal.com

FinanceIsPersonal.com — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:17:45 +0000

We moved over to LED lights this year, they’re not much more, they look great, and I’m sure our power bill will be a lot less too!