I worked with a manager several years ago who clued me into a great idea. His kids actually recommended that they receive 3 gifts for Christmas, just like baby Jesus did. I adapted that practice when I had children of my own. It helps to simplify and pare down the list of gifts to buy, while more importantly teaching my kids of Jesus birth...

I come from a big family every year we save ,by renting the roller skate rink for a Christmas party for the kids in the family and frends,We share with the cash we all save .

During the year I put a little something aside for Christmas presents. It's amazing how quickly $10 here or $5 there adds up. When something I want to purchase as a gift is on sale, I have the cash already set aside and can purchase it ahead of time. Not only does this save me money, but it allows me to keep my sanity since I'm not standing in long lines or searching for the cheapest price.

I save money at Christmastime by purchasing holiday cards for the next year at post holiday sales...I fill the cards out while sitting in the sun in June and July...Then all I have to do is include a current holiday picture of my daughter, stamp and send!!

Several years ago, I gave all my grandchildren a very large moose. How do I wrap that thing?? I bought a box of large white trash bags, cinched in the top and added a big red bow. The tradition stayed. Every year I do the same. The whold family gets these. Not only does it solve my wrapping problems, but it gives them something to put all their other gifts in to load into the car. Now there are great grandchildren and they are right in the swing of things. Everyone knows which is from MeMaw, all twenty-on4e of them. Saves time and money!!

At our house we stock up on Holiday necessities like wrapping paper, cards, ribbon and boxes in the days after Christmas when everything is 50 - 75% off. This saves a lot of money and next year everything is ready to go. We also do shopping throughout the year as we see things on (really good) sales.

I save various sizes of tins and use them to "wrap" a large number of my Christmas presents. My family lives out-of-town and this also ensures that they will receive unbroken and uncrinkled gifts, which have been mailed to them. I try and get the tins to correspond to the receivers interests, etc. The tins are cheaper than buying appropriately sized boxes and save me both time and money by having them on hand.

During the year when the kids bring home their fund-raiser catalogs from school/sports/music, I look for things that come in multi-packs. A bunch of small candles, cute ornaments - whatever can be divided. Then when I need gifts for teachers or co-workers, I can assemble a small variety pack of items, taking one thing from each 'multi pack' and adding some cookies or fudge. This spreads out the spending through the year, and adds the benefit of contributing to the fund raisers.

I remind myself daily that the goal of the holiday season is to reconnect with family and traditions. Instead of focusing on buying expensive presents, I make time to bake cookies with my children, decorate the tree, try a new recipe for the holidays, take a ride on the sled, make our holiday cards, or get together with friends. I hope that our children will remember these times of togetherness more than “that year I got a Buzz Lightyear toy.”