I know all too well about poor Christmases. I have endured more than I care to remember. However, I learned how to make a poor Christmas a good Christmas by making the most of the holiday season by incorporating free activities that make the season special. I remember my daughter’s first Christmas when all we could afford was a $10 toy. She was a baby and did not realize that money was tight, but my heart broke for her. The next couple of years were better financially, but I soon found myself as a single mother trying to make Christmas magical for two small kids. I thought I would share some of the things that made our poor Christmases some of the best Christmases.
Christmas Lights
My favorite way to get in the holiday spirit is by looking at Christmas Lights around town. The kids and I load up in the car, drive around looking for Christmas lights, listen to Christmas music, and yell as loud as we can “Lights on the right” or “Lights on the left” when we spot Christmas lights. To keep from wasting a lot of gas, I ask around if anyone knows of neighborhoods or areas that have lights that we can see. We still do this every year.
Decorating
We make decorating for Christmas a big deal. I didn’t realize how important this tradition is to my kids until this year. While talking with friends, and they asked: “When do you decorate your tree?”. My son (14 at the time) immediately spoke up and said: “The Saturday after Thanksgiving!”. My husband and I looked at each other in surprise! I knew we always decorated soon after Thanksgiving, but I didn’t realize the kids held the Saturday after Thanksgiving as our special day to decorate. It was heartwarming. For the years that I was a single mom, I didn’t have my own decorations, so we decorated my parent’s house. I’m sure there are people in your circle of friends that would love for you to help decorate their tree. Many people (such as the elderly or injured) cannot do it themselves and would love the help and company. Just be sure to go back and undecorate it later.
Ugly Christmas Sweater
Be festive with your attire. I still have the very first Christmas sweater I ever bought. It is probably 17 years old. It was long before ugly Christmas sweaters were a thing. My kids get embarrassed when I pull it out of the closet, but I love it. I wear Christmas earrings, pins, shirts, dresses, t-shirts, scarves, and anything Christmas is fair game. It’s fun, and you don’t have to buy a whole wardrobe. Just a piece at a time is all it takes, and eventually, you have a collection. I have had some of my Christmas earrings since before I had kids. I even have one pair that I had as a kid that my mom or memaw got from AVON. I love to wear them. Now that Tacky Christmas Attire is popular, I am finally in style.
Christmas Programs And Performances
Church and School performances are perfect ways to celebrate Christmas. Churches all over have special programs for Christmas, which are usually listed in the local paper. Schools have band and chorus performances that are always spectacular. If you have a child or know a child performing, go and support them. If you have a school-age child that is not performing, encourage them to go and support their friends. Dress up, watch a Christmas special and make a magical memory.
Christmas Parade
The Christmas Parade! It is a great tradition to go to the parade. Parades are usually soon after Thanksgiving, and they officially kick off the whole Christmas season. Where else can you go and see everyone you know and freeze your bum off. It is a miserable and exciting experience.
Pictures
Take pictures! Lots of pictures! With cell phones, everyone has a camera handy these days. When you take pictures, you capture memories. It can be of anything. Santa, lights, a cute tree, or a funny ornament you saw in the store. Look for opportunities to take pictures. It could be of yourself or your kids or just pretty decorations you see around town. Looking back, you will not remember how poor you were, just the memories you were making. Include friends and loved ones in the pictures; this adds context to the occasion, and you will cherish these memories as time passes and kids grow. I love looking at pictures from years past and seeing how we have all changed.
Watching Christmas movies.
The Christmas season is so busy, but we watch Christmas movies at home every opportunity we get. We have the favorites that we try to catch every year, and we are always excited when we see new ones pop up. This year my son is making his own “25 Days of Christmas” movie list. We have watched some really cute ones so far on Netflix. I recently noticed that the library has a great selection of Christmas DVDs, and they are free to rent.
A poor Christmas doesn’t have to be a bad Christmas. Some years may be poorer than others. It isn’t about the gifts, but the memories we can make together for our family. These memories stay with you long after the wrapping is in the trash, the batteries run out, and a newer/flashier toy is released. Whether you are a family of two or seven, there are ways to make every year special—we at “When In Rome, GA” wish you a very Merry Christmas.
