If you haven’t noticed from checking your calendar, the iced over pavements and your new ability to exhale smoke in seemingly sub-zero temperatures are probably clues that we’ve finally reached December. Yes, December. The one month a year everyone looks forwards to often turns out to be the most manic month of the year for most, and is very easy to get caught up in. These chaotic Christmas times make it easy to forget about what we feel is the true meaning of Christmas; spending time with your loved ones.
We know time and money can be of the essence leading up to the holiday period, so we’ve come up with a few free or cheap activities that’ll encourage you and the family to get together this festive season. Christmas crackers at the ready and coloured papers hats on, it’s time to get in the Christmas spirit!
Create Your Own Christmas Decorations
Cheap and easy, this is a great way to get the little ones excited for Christmas. Whether its crafting an angel for the top of the Christmas tree out of a toilet roll tube, or making hanging stars from lollypop sticks, this is definitely a great way to get the family together and boost the Christmas spirit. After all, nothing says fun like sticky, messy PVA glue, thousands of tiny bits of glitter that get everywhere combined with hyper active children!
Christmas Movie Night
Snuggled up on the sofa, sheltered from the winter cold, a family movie night is a fun and cheap way to spend some festive time together. Leading up to the Christmas period watch your favorite Christmas classics or new releases, there’s options for absolutely everyone. To increase festivity, you could also crack open the Christmas treats. A great occasion to work your way through that huge tube of Jaffa Cakes or tin of Celebrations you inevitably get every Christmas.
Make The Most Of The Snow
“Do you wanna build a snowmaaaaaaaaaan?”. When Christmas is the topic of conversation one of the first things that springs to our minds is snow. With the only cost being a wooly hat and gloves to keep you warm, there is tones of fun to be had in the snow. Sledging, snow men, snow angles, snow ball fights are all great reason to get the family outdoors. Snow is endless fun, you just better hope you get some!
Christmas Market
Free to enter, Christmas markets pack all the best of festive foods, goods, traditions, entertainment and activity all into one space. Joyful Christmas vibes are built through the delicate use of artificial snow and a giant, beautifully lit Christmas tree. A Christmas market is definitely a place the whole family are sure to enjoy.
Prepare for Santa
As we grow older, many of us become more distant with Christmas. What once was a sleepless night due to uncontainable excitement, becomes just another day where you can find an extra few hours sleep on a national day off. But not for the kids! Get them in the mood by making great Christmas treats for Santa, such as homemade mince pies or bringing home some reindeer food (which is just simply bird seeds mixed with glitter) to get them excited for Santa’s arrival! Be good to Santa and he’ll be good to you. He may even leave you an extra present or two!
Christmas Light Spotting
No matter where you’re based there’s always those few houses that see how big they can run up their electricity bill with their extensive Christmas light collection. We’d suggest getting the family in the car and scouting out the best light shows in the area. A free activity the kids are sure to enjoy.
Whatever you choose to do over the festive period we hope you have a good one. Hopefully you’ve been good this year and Father Christmas will bring you everything you wrote on your little Christmas lists!