Ways I am Saving Money this Holiday Season

Before I get started: I know.

It's October.

I know.

But Christmas is the combination of all of the things I love. I love to cook/bake, decorate, give gifts, dance around like an idiot in fun sweaters, wrap presents, etc.

Christmas is sacred.

I have to confess: in the past I have all but broken the bank on Christmas. I love to bake a disgusting abundance of cookies, pies, sweets, etc. and give them out to family members, or just have them on hand for company. I also get excited and buy a few new ornaments each year, some fun wrapping paper, Christmas cards, and (of course) too many gifts.

I usually get started on gift shopping pretty early, but I always go overboard because as I am shopping I will see something PERFECT for a person whose gift is already bought. OR I will fall victim to a strange urge to give people gifts that make a cohesive pair. Example: I can't just give someone a beautiful pottery mug, I must also give them some fancy coffee to go in it. I will find a nice journal for someone, but then I have to get a nice felt-tipped pen and some post-its. And on and on.

THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT.

I am bound and determined to spend less this year, and I'm making a list (and checking it twice, heh) of all of the ways I plan to do so.

Gifts

And since I've made it my goal to only give gifts that are either homemade or secondhand (partly to save money, partly to contribute less to waste and blind consumerism), I've had to get started Very early on my Christmas shopping.

So every time I go to Frenchy's or a yard sale, I keep my eyes peeled for anything that could be a gift for a friend or loved one. It's late October and I have gifts for my mom, my friends, my sister and brother-in-law, and my nieces and nephew. All I need is one more lucky trip to the thrift shops and I should be done!

Luckily, my friends and relatives are reasonable people. They see the value in secondhand items, and they can recognize the love that goes into making gifts yourself. I don't have to worry about anyone opening their badass pre-owned gift on Christmas and being salty that I didn't spend more money (and if I did, I probably would stop buying them gifts).

Gift Wrap

Wrapping paper is expensive. Once you've bought a few rolls of pretty paper, tape, bows and gift tags, you've racked up some serious spending.

I'm refusing to buy gift wrap this year.

My mom is a custom framer, and when she orders boxes of glass, they come with layers and layers of thick brown paper. Rather than let them go to the trash, I like to use them as gift wrap- they're the same quality and thickness of the rolls of brown paper you can buy for wrapping packages in a store.

I'm looking at wrapping ideas like this one from BlogLovin with alternatives to plastic ribbons and bows. 

My new-found love is free gift tag printables like this one from The Happy Tulip. I can print as many as I need and cut them out myself, and they're much cheaper than store-bought tags. 

Baking

This aspect of my Chrsitmas prep will be changing partly by choice, and partly due to circumstance. 

Not only do I plan to simply bake less food, this will be my first vegan Christmas, so the number of home-baked goods I can eat will be limited.

I'm going to make a few favourites- my favourite gingerbread cookie recipe is accidentally vegan, and I will likely make my mom's bits and bites recipe. I might even try out some new vegan recipes. But above all, I'm shying away from my usual holiday abundance. I typically get so caught up with the fun of the baking, I end up with more treats than I can eat or share.

I will also be making some savoury vegan recipes for my holiday meals. It will be the first Christmas that I will have a chance to make a special holiday meal just for myself and my boyfriend, and I'm excited to explore the vegan side of holiday food! (I'll also be making extra- I want to be prepared for meals at the homes of others, and be able to bring my own food). 

I will be trying out some new recipes from lists like this one.

I know I won't miss the turkey- not just because it's carcass but because LOOK at how beautiful and appetizing vegan food can be!

Source: My Darling Vegan

Decorating

Although I have a synthetic Christmas tree (and therefore don't need to buy a new one), and I have quite a number of Christmas decorations already, I always tend to go out and buy some new stuff every year. I can't help myself. The Christmas aisle at every store draws me in, and everything is shiny and beautiful. 

But not this year. 

I've managed to find some new-to-me decorations throughout the year, at both Frenchy's and yard sales, and I've got them tucked away waiting to be enjoyed. I'm convinced that the excitement of having new decorations already will keep me from spending money on even MORE bits and bobs. 

Cards

Most years, I buy boxes of beautiful Christmas cards, then take hours filling them out and scrambling to contact distant friends and relatives and ask for their addresses. 

Then I typically end up with a stack of filled-out cards that were never sent. 

Instead, I'm planning to simplify a little, while also getting more personal. I'm going to create a custom card with a personal photo, then design the card on the computer and print it off at a photo kiosk. Local loved ones will receive a personal card in the mail, and anybody whose address I don't have will receive it via e-mail. 

As much as I love the process of sending and receiving cards in the mail, sometimes the work is just not worth it. I am trying to find a middle ground. 

Outfits

Every New Years Eve, I find myself in a store, trying to find a decent outfit to wear for the evening. I used to be excited about buying something pretty and special (I almost never wear anything sparkly, so this was my opportunity to indulge). That was when I was younger and went out more frequently. 

The past few years, I try to spend as little as possible, because I've learned that I almost never wear my New Years outfit again. 

It's a ridiculous waste of money, and I won't be doing it anymore. I will instead dress up something I already have with some fun accessories, and worry less about looking the part for New Years. I've realized that it's not how you look but how you feel, and I will feel better about spending less time and money in the store, agonizing over clothing. 

It's so easy to spend money around the holidays. Sometimes it feels like it wouldn't be Christmas without the spending. But this year I'm refocusing on the things I TRULY love about the holiday season- it's not expensive gifts, but giving and receiving in ALL forms. It's not fancy cards or showing off in expensive clothes. It's being with people you love, feeling cozy and warm, and appreciating all of the abundance that ALREADY surrounds us. 

So this year my Christmas will be focused on more than just THINGS. I'm going to fill it with the things that really matter. And none of those things cost money.