Learn how to make Christmas special for your children with our top ideas.
When you think about Christmas as a child, what are your favourite memories?
For me, as I fast approach my mid-30s, it’s not the presents I received or the cash inside a card that have stuck in my mind for all these years. It’s singing Christmas carols with the church choir in the doorway of our local supermarket to raise money for charity. It’s the Christingle service that I looked forward to every year and the feeling of wonder as the lights went out and the church was lit up by candlelight. It’s the school Nativity plays where a kid could walk out on stage wearing a tea towel on his head, shout ‘Follow the star!’ and get a standing ovation.
Christmas can bring with it a huge amount of pressure, especially for those looking after children. Social media in particular has created an unhealthy perception of the ‘perfect’ celebration, most of which is extremely costly, and it’s easy to forget that this isn’t what it’s supposed to be about. Jesus was born so that we might experience life in all its fullness, and that doesn’t mean having the most beautifully adorned Christmas tree or the biggest turkey or all the latest tech. Life in all its fullness is about finding joy, peace and hope in the everyday gifts that Jesus has given us, learning from the challenges we face, and sharing that joy with those around us.
How to make Christmas special for your children on a budget
1. Prioritise quality time
Paul and Sam featured in our latest fundraising appeal. Their youngest children, Eden and Vale, say that this Christmas they’re most excited for their older siblings to visit with their families, which wasn’t possible when money was tight. Vale, who’s 7, simply says, ‘I like when we watch movies together at Christmas!’ Often the thing children value most from the adults in their life is time, effort and love.
Make Christmas special without gifts by giving some of these ideas a try:
Do a Christmas tree treasure hunt. Hide the decorations around the house and challenge the children to find them all, then have fun decorating the tree together.
Take inspiration from around the world. Encourage the children to find out about other countries’ Christmas traditions and add one into your own celebrations.
Let the kids perform a Christmas concert in your living room. This could include singing, dancing, acting out a Nativity scene, performing tricks or telling jokes.
Put the kids to ‘work’ as elves. You could bake or put together small gifts for the neighbours and take your little helpers to deliver them, or add some fun into household chores like tidying their rooms. Elf costumes encouraged!
Build a snowman – without snow! To create fake snow that can be moulded, mix together 300g baking powder and 60g cheap white hair conditioner in a large bowl until well combined. Halve or double the amounts to make more or less.
See your local Christmas lights. Wrap up warm and go for a walk around your local village or town centre after dark. You could even write a list of festive symbols for the kids to try and spot (snowman, present, tree etc.)
Make your own Advent calendar with a fun task behind each door, such as, ‘Sing the whole first verse of Silent Night,’ or ‘First to get dressed for school wins’. Prizes optional!
2. Give a gift that counts, not costs
When Sam and Paul, who were supported on their journey out of debt by CAP, faced severe financial difficulty, Christmas was one more pressure that they didn’t need.
We couldn’t afford Christmas gifts for the kids so we put together a few things they’d need anyway, like toiletries and socks, plus sentimental items like family photos.
Paul
Even though it felt uncomfortable for Paul and Sam that they couldn’t afford luxuries for the kids, they say, ‘They were so grateful’. It’s not just an expression – it really is the thought that counts. Focus on giving gifts that will make your kids feel valued and loved, rather than how much you think you need to spend.
3. Manage expectations
If you’re struggling with money this Christmas, start by managing expectations. You don’t need to go into detail, but find time to have an honest conversation with your children. Explain that you’re planning to do things on a smaller scale this year and that you won’t be spending lots of money. The same goes for other friends and family too. This way, they’ll know what to expect and you can worry a little less about pleasing everyone.
4. Visit your local church
Wherever you live, churches in your area will undoubtedly be hosting events and services throughout the Christmas period, from Nativity services to tabletop fairs. As well as free events, this is also an opportunity to get connected with your church, and in difficult times there’s nothing quite like the support and love of a church community to pull you through.
Sam and Paul explain how their local church, in partnership with CAP, provided vital support when they needed it most. ‘On the day Jonathan from our local church visited on behalf of CAP, we had just £2 left on the meter. We didn’t tell him that, but God must have been at work, because that afternoon, Jonathan sent us a fuel top-up. [It] was a lifeline at a critical time. It allowed us to look beyond our most immediate needs, and gave us the reassurance that someone was there to help’.
Find out what’s on at your local church this Christmas. You’re guaranteed a warm welcome, and maybe even a mince pie.
5. Get free debt help and support
When you’re struggling with money, it’s easy to find reasons to put off seeking help, and the busyness of Christmas can create an easy excuse. However, the sooner we start taking steps forward, the sooner we find a resolution. When Sam and Paul got in touch with CAP in the December of 2023, the next available appointment wasn’t until January, and yet the impact of knowing there was a way forward was huge.
I can’t describe the relief we felt knowing that help was coming.
Paul
