25 No Spend December Activities for Families

Cut 25 strips of paper and loop them into a chain, one link for each day until Christmas. Each night someone tears off a link and reads tomorrow's activity, written on the inside.

Scrap paper, old gift wrap or kids' artwork all work, so it costs nothing.

Fold printer paper into a triangle, snip shapes along the edges and unfold. Tape a dozen to the windows and the house feels decorated for December without a store trip.

Kids write or draw a letter to Santa while you sip something warm. It's a sweet tradition, and it quietly shows you which one or two gifts matter most to them.

Drape blankets over chairs and the sofa, add every pillow you own and watch a Christmas movie from your shelf, your library or a streaming service you already pay for.

Thread plain popcorn onto string for the tree or a window. Older kids can help with the threading while you supervise.

Pull out every mug, the cocoa or chocolate you already have and any leftover candy canes or marshmallows. Line them up on a tray and let everyone build their own mug.

Graham crackers and icing make small houses, and leftover Halloween candy, cereal or pretzels make the roofs. Use what's in the pantry; the lopsided ones are the best.

Turn off every light except the tree and read holiday picture books from the library. Borrow a stack on your next visit, and the whole month of bedtime books is free.

Everyone prepares one act: a song, a joke, a magic trick or a dance. Make tickets out of paper, set up a stage in the living room and video it for the grandparents.

Take each ornament out of the box and tell its story: who made it, where it came from, what year it joined the tree.

Roll out plain brown paper and let kids cover it with stars, trees and scribbles. It turns wrapping into an activity and saves buying printed paper. Our Christmas on a budget guide has more low-cost wrapping ideas.

Many towns light a tree or hold a parade in early December, and watching is usually free. Eat dinner at home first and bring a thermos so you aren't tempted by food stands.

Libraries often run free holiday crafts, story times and family movie screenings in December. While you're there, stock up on Christmas books and movies for the month.

Make a simple scorecard before you go: most colorful house, best inflatable, prettiest window. Walk the neighborhood with cocoa in a thermos and vote at the end.

Take a walk in a park or your own yard and fill a basket with pine cones and fallen branches. Back home, they become table decor or a gift topper.

School choirs, church services, community bands and high school orchestras often hold free December concerts. It's a dressy night out that costs nothing.

Walk a main street after dark to look at shop windows and street decorations. Everyone picks a favorite window, and nobody goes inside.

Pack sandwiches and a thermos and eat at a park, even for twenty minutes. If it's too cold, spread a blanket on the living room floor by the tree instead.

Fold plain paper into cards, color them together and deliver them to neighbors, a mail carrier or a nursing home. A card says "we thought of you" without a gift budget.

Before new gifts arrive, each child picks a few gently used toys to pass on. Many shelters and charities take donations; call ahead, since some only accept new toys.

December 21 is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Eat dinner by lantern or candlelight and talk about your favorite thing from the year.

Call or video chat with grandparents and ask what Christmas was like when they were kids. Record it on your phone; it may become one of your favorite family keepsakes.

Everyone writes or draws a note to their future self, and you seal them in a jar or envelope to open next December.

Fill a box with things you already have or planned to buy anyway: a library Christmas book, pajamas from the gift list and cocoa from the pantry. Open it after dinner.

After gifts, take a family walk to reset, then hold a board game or card tournament with the games you own. The winner picks the leftovers dinner.