Budget-friendly festive activities to enjoy with loved ones

Ah, Christmas – the season of magic and joy! It is a time to cherish moments with loved ones and celebrate the end of another wonderful year. However, amid all the good things, it can also be a season of significant expenses, with gifts, feasts, and travel adding up quickly. But here’s the good news: festive fun doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag! You can enjoy plenty of Christmas activities that bring everyone together and create lasting memories with family and friends – all without breaking the bank. Here are a few ideas:

1. Christmas movie marathon

Whether it is “Home Alone”, “Elf”, “The Grinch” or “Polar Express”, gather your favourite Christmas movies (or find new ones) and have a movie marathon. Make it extra cosy with blankets, popcorn, hot cocoa or other festive treats. Try our Healthy popcorn for your Christmas movie marathons!

2. DIY crafting session

Set up a table for arts and crafts where everyone makes Christmas ornaments, such as wreaths or tree baubles. Use materials like paper, clay, glitter, felt, or even upcycled items to create unique decorations for the tree. Some ideas include salt dough ornaments, paper snowflakes, and painted pinecones. You could also make your Christmas cards and wrapping paper, decorate stockings, and create a family Christmas tree collage. Why not make your own homemade advent calendar filled with little surprises, activities, or notes for each day leading up to Christmas?

3. Letters to Santa

Have the kids write letters to Santa with their wishes and dreams. For a more reflective activity, encourage everyone to write a gratitude letter expressing what they are grateful for this year. You can make it extra special by leaving the letters out on Christmas Eve for Santa to take away!

4. Christmas bake

What about spending an afternoon baking gingerbread cookies or other festive treats and decorating them? You could take it further and build a Gingerbread House or have a friendly cooking contest for the most creative or fanciest treats. To make sure your treats are not only tasty but gut-healthy, check out our recipes here.

5. Christmas scavenger hunt

Create a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt around the house or yard. Write clues that lead to little surprises, treats, or gifts hidden in different places. For younger kids, include visual clues or simple riddles; for older kids and adults, make it a bit trickier!

6. Christmas carol

Whether you prefer staying cosy at home or venturing outside to spread goodwill, singing Christmas carols is a delightful way to celebrate the season. If you simply want to stay home, you can set up a karaoke machine or use YouTube to find and sing your favourite holiday tunes. Family members can take turns performing solo or join in as a group – it’s sure to spark joy and end in plenty of laughter! If you’re feeling charitable, gather a group of family and friends for an afternoon or evening of carolling to raise money for a good cause. You can sing around your neighbourhood, visit popular areas in your town, city, or village, or even ask local venues like churches if they’d host your performance. It’s a wonderful way to combine festive fun and giving back to your community.

7. Charity work

Building on the spirit of carolling, few things feel as rewarding as helping and giving to others during the holiday season. After all, isn’t that the true meaning of Christmas? Sharing is caring, and offering support to those in need, especially those without family or a home, can make a huge positive impact. Consider donating clothes or items you no longer use, providing blankets to those who need them, or contributing to charities in whatever way you can. Your kindness and generosity will brighten and bring warmth and comfort to someone’s holiday while filling your heart with one of the greatest gifts – the joy of helping others! Explore some of the charity work we do here at Chuckling Goat on our Random Acts of Kindness page. You can read some of our inspiring charity-related articles here.

8. Christmas outdoors

It might be tempting to stay indoors for most of the Christmas holiday, but if you have the strength to venture into the cold, why not drive or walk around your neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights and decorations? Or tour around your local Christmas markets. Some neighbourhoods have extravagant displays or market stalls, and it’s a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. Even better, take a hot cocoa or a festive tea, e.g. orange and cinnamon spiced tea, for a cosy and warm tour.

9. Christmas games

Get a festive Christmas-themed jigsaw puzzle and work together as a family to complete it. If puzzles are not your thing, why not create a Christmas-themed bingo game or trivia challenge? Use festive pictures, Christmas songs, traditions, history or holiday movie questions to make it fun. Turn on our CG Christmas Playlist! Another great idea is Christmas-themed charades. Write down holiday-related actions, characters, movies, or songs on small pieces of paper and have family members guess by acting them out.

10. Family Christmas photoshoot

Have a festive photoshoot with the family! You can wear matching Christmas jumpers, Santa hats, funky/quirky festive socks, or coordinate your outfits for a themed shoot. Take fun, silly pictures for a holiday card or frame them to display around the house and add to the festive atmosphere! You can also create your own family Christmas video. For an extra special touch, include memorable photos from the past year to reminisce on your favourite moments and celebrate what you have accomplished or experienced together.

There’s no better time to embrace these fun and budget-friendly activities with family and friends. They’ll create unforgettable, heartwarming memories you’ll cherish for years to come! Feel free to print the lists below and tick each activity off as you go!