In an effort to teach the SD's a little humility, DH and I will be taking them with us to delivery Christmas gifts to those less fortunate. DH and I go every year but have never taken them with us. I think it will be good to teach them it feels good to give, not just receive.

Cookies and candies, I make tons of them for the Holidays. Time consuming, but not necessarily expensive. My sons (who are 21 and 23 now) have never really liked sweets, but always said that it just wouldn't be Christmas without them. When they were little, we'd make up small packages of them and they would take them to their favorite neighbors, teachers, and friends' parents. I'll make nearly a dozen different kinds and put them out in cute little dishes, a small amount at a time. We usually have more than enough to make it through to our NYE party.

Thank you for this post! I was looking for idea's my self.

DH and I are nearly always alone on Xmas Day (although not this year - we are going to BD29, husband + grandson) - we always used to go to walk round a local bird reserve before we got our dog 2 years ago. She is not allowed there, so now we have a walk wherever we feel like.

This year I decided that I would ask for everyone not to get me a present, but to donate to my favourite charity, which happens to be Water Aid. This is not TOTALLY an altruistic option - I got sick of getting pound store gifts from my SDs and having to say "oh thanks, how - mmm - lovely!"

We go to the square almost every year and take pics there. It is all decorated very pretty and it is something that the city does and goes way over board on but it is so much fun. We don't do the carriage rides and I bring our own hot coca. the kids seem to love it and even say lets take our pic over here! We also go around looking at lights and see which one is the best.

I have started a tradition with my kids long before dh and I got married and that is that I buy p.j.s every year for each kid. I have to tell you this one thing is the one that kids look forward to the most. They get them every christmas eve. One year ss12 (younger then) said after it started to snow "so glad purple got us these warm p.j.s." I thought I was going to cry!

Another thing I do is I always go to hobby lobby or a place of the like and get things to make an ornament every year with each kid. They seem to really love this too. I also back cookies and do a ginger bread house. It gets to the point that the kids will start asking when do we start doing these things.

I hope this helped.

My family celebrates what we call a "Green" Christmas.

1) Cash only - no credit cards. Dollar stores have lots of great gift ideas for little kids.

2) Recycle. For the kids, we pick out some gently used toys and re-gift them to the cousins.

3) Reuse. Find items around the house or pick up a few small things at a craft store and you can make personalized ornaments or wreaths as gifts.

Snapfish.com has a great site for inexpensive gifts. Up until tonight they have a buy one get 2 free offer for photo books. And they don't have to be the same book either. I am making one for DH (birthday 11/27) of our last trip to New Zealand. So for $19.99 I get 3 quality photo books.
I also use Picnik to enhance my pictures before uploading them to snapfish. You can get cool enhancements for free or more fancey ones for a subscription of $24.95 a year. WELL worth it!
DH and I attend a local live nativity.
Walk the downtown decorated area.
ALWAYS donate food to a foodbank.
This year we are collecting $1 bills to give out to the bell ringers for the Salvation Army. If you have little ones they get a kick out of putting the money in.