Most of my kids' gifts have come from Facebook Marketplace. I got a bunch of used Garfield and Wimpy Kid books that my son wanted, and a very expensive wooden dollhouse that someone was unloading for $20. There are always people getting rid of things their kids have outgrown.

I want to believe this is an honest thread, but readers please beware. There are many scammers with stories like this on various message boards right now. They usually involve job loss and a hospitalized parent and turns into them saying their child still believes in Santa and hoping someone sends them money.

I would keep Santa alive. Ask for help. Sell something. If the 8 year old believes I would not tell them otherwise.

Anonymous wrote:The brookside gardens train exhibit is a good idea. I didn’t know it was back this year. Thanks pp for the suggestion. They have a scavenger hunt they give out sheets for. It’s fun!

You’re welcome! Enjoy!

I think you might be a little irrational here, OP. If your living expenses have only been 40% of your HHI until a week or two ago, you very likely have pretty significant savings. Also, it sounds like you will be able to get another job, or maybe your husband will get a higher paying one if your are home more and your family needs the money. Nothing about this sounds permanent.

Also, 8 year olds and even 13 year olds don’t want ridiculously expensive things. I mean, even if they are expensive for what they are, a lego set and a pair of AirPods aren’t the kinds of things that are going to put you into bankruptcy. I’m willing to bet that if you posted your entire financial picture including various savings accounts and an estimated cost of a Christmas tree and presents for your children, people would tell you that you can afford to give your kids gifts this year.

I get that you are anxious about finances, but Christmas presents for your kids really isn’t the place to cut back.

Check out consignment stores for gifts/clothing/shoes, etc. I have seen some very nice toys/puzzles, etc there. Sign up for coupons at department stores because they have great stuff for cheap when you use coupons combined with sales.

See if you can sign up with a church for free gifts.

There are many threads from last year. Go to Google and google dcurbanmom Christmas and terms like budget and "low cost" as a phrase.

I am here to put in a plug for cutting out paper snowflakes from white printer paper. This is one of the things that has added the most joy to my Christmas in the past 10 years. My younger son loves this. It used to be a common elementary school craft but I don't see it much anymore.

Home Depot might be able to give you a discount on a tree at the last minute. Once we got one for free on Christmas eve because the college age kid in front of us was told he could have any tree for free. Another year when pickings were slim, we got 50% off a tree because it had a big bald spot on one side that required a corner positioning. But I agree a nice used one would do.

Kids can appreciate food for Christmas. The two year old might like Quaker Dino Egg Oatmeal. It has little sugar eggs that melt to reveal a tiny sugar dino. Exotic snacks, like blue corn chips, might be fun for an older child.

I wrote on another post about low cost ideas for having a Mexican food dinner as a holiday treat. That might be relevant.

I agree with library booksales.

If you have supportive family and/or friends you might ask them to chip in on the one fancy electronic thing the orders most want. To me the 8 year old is the trickiest because they might still believe in Santa?

I know a lot of families that practice an intentionally less materialistic Christmas. They buy
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear and
Something to read

Buy Nothing is a great resource, and people will be jettisoning fake trees for newer ones. Spend time with them. Being present, engaged, and loving is the most important thing. Those memories of time spent together really are the things that will stick with them the most.

We had a financially scary Christmas when I was 14. My mother bought tons of cheap things so we would have the usual number of packages. I would much rather have had a couple of nice things than the bunch of junk. My parents also did a lot of lamenting about all the things we weren’t doing and wouldn’t get. Don’t do that! Model excitement about the free activities you’re going to and all the things you’ll do together. It’s ok to let them know some of the $ details but don’t scare them and don’t dwell on it. I can still feel the anxiety they emanated all those years ago. My parents had good intentions but fumbled.

I am confident that you can find free stuff because I just gave away an artificial tree, new Legos, etc.!

Maybe start a thread on how to tell 8 year old the truth about Santa. Otherwise he will get scarred thinking he was bad or something.
All the Smithsonian museums are free. Natural History has good exhibits for kids.

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks for all the ideas.

Hardest thing is 8yo still believes in Santa and is very much “don’t worry mom! Santa will bring the presents!” Oof.

That’s hard but you need to be honest just like everyone is when their kid wants a pony, iPhone, dog, pool table, whatever. There are some things that Santa just won’t bring.

OP. Thanks for all the ideas.

Hardest thing is 8yo still believes in Santa and is very much “don’t worry mom! Santa will bring the presents!” Oof.

Sit down with the kids and say here’s what I have to spend, how important is the tree, etc. we have had fun just decorating a large potted plant. One year I hung a bunch of mismatched socks on a string every day up to Xmas with a piece of candy for each and paper written with a fun family activity. Stuff like “listen to Christmas carols while having a red or green bubble bath” for the young ones to “build a Lego wreath contest” to “meet with friends for holiday themed tag and dnd session at the park”. They took turns opening the daily sock and doing the (mostly free) activities. I wrapped some small things for them to open on Xmas. They still remember that as the best Xmas ever.

The brookside gardens train exhibit is a good idea. I didn’t know it was back this year. Thanks pp for the suggestion. They have a scavenger hunt they give out sheets for. It’s fun!