Cheerful Frugality Buys Christmas In August
Mom: This baby is coming in October, AND YOU ARE NOT READY.
Meredith: Mom, that's 3 months from now.
Mom: How are you going to buy and wrap Christmas gifts with a newborn? Can you balance all those packages on the stroller and wheel them into the post office with the baby in a sling? Who can bake 20 dozen muffins for the holiday breakfast?
Meredith: Oh.
Whether you have a pressing deadline like mine, or just want to save even more on your holiday plans, the 6-month countdown has already begun.
It's so much easier to be cheerful about holiday spending when you have everything planned in advance! Last year I assembled a mountain of quality toys with early shopping. (You can see what I bought for $60 at yard sales and thrift stores.)
Here are some Christmas In July August resources I've found this year:
- Our very own Amy kicked off the Christmas In July crusade at Frugal Hacks and assembled a great idea list at Momadvice.
- Paula of Hearty Works has already prepared her family newsletter using a FABULOUS free template. Check it out!
- Think ahead to packaging. See Homeliving Helper's pretty altered boxes from every day containers. I love Chasing Cheerio's homemade sound cylinders made from hand cream jars saved all year long.
- Planning a big holiday party? You may want to invest in clearance picnicware instead of buying plastic cups in December.
Now even my heart is racing a little. If you'll forgive me, I have some serious planning to do!
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4 Responses to “Cheerful Frugality Buys Christmas In August”
July 21st, 2008 at 10:37 am
Great links! I’m hosting Christmas in July over at LifeasMOM.com Come visit! We’re having giveaways everyday!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:00 am
Great ideas!
This Christmas will probably be our most low-key ever. We’re not traveling anywhere and we don’t expect anyone to come see us.
Gifts will be at a minimum, likely.
Last Dec. 26, I went out and bought a bunch of Christmas things on clearance. Now, I have to figure out what to do with them. Maybe I’ll wrap them and give them to family when we see them in a few months, and put big “DO NOT OPEN until Christmas” stickers on them, hehe.
July 21st, 2008 at 11:19 am
Come over to the Frugal Bookworm and read my “Thinking Ahead Thursday” series on “Christmas in July”. I’m doing a special series on how we can start planning now for Christmas. Last week, I talked about making a gift list and a Christmas calendar. This Thursday, I’ll be talking about chores we can do in October and November to help prepare our homes for Christmas. That way, this holiday season, we’ll be able to spend more time with our family and friends!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I’m already thinking ahead to Christmas. I bought fabric that matches my nieces’ bedspreads for only $1.99/yard, and I’m making them bed pockets. I’ve already purchased the books to go in them (bought while Amazon had their 4-for-3 sale). I still need to find flashlights, but I doubt that’ll be a problem.
The rest of the family… well, I’m still working on that! I need to start gathering sooner rather than later!
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