10 Tips for a Stress-Free and Affordable Holiday Season
At Software and Process Design, we've discovered that most goals can be achieved by breaking them down into essential steps, roughly 10 fundamental principles. We call these principles the 10 Fundamentals.
You can think of these Fundamentals as a roadmap for success. If you’re aiming to achieve something, these Fundamentals are like simple rules to follow, breaking down goals into actionable steps.
What makes it even more exciting is that we're actively developing tools to simplify this journey further. As you read through this guide, see how these Fundamentals, when combined with our tools, become your companion for reaching your goals.
The holiday season is a time for celebration, joy, and togetherness. However, it can also be a season that puts a strain on our wallets.
Here are 10 ways to make the holidays more affordable without compromising on the festive spirit. Save money, create lasting memories, and ensure a joyous holiday season – without extravagant prices.
Key Takeaways:
1. Check out local events
2. Host or join a cookie swap
3. Partake in “group gifting”
4. Don’t let fashion break your budget
5. Gift experiences instead of material objects
6. Make your own gifts
7. Stick to a budget
8. Don’t buy toys for kids, gift timeless memories
9. Turn that turkey dinner into a potluck
10. Volunteer
1. Experience the charm of local events without spending a dime.
If you’re looking for something affordable to do this holiday season, take a stroll around your neighbourhood and check out all the lit-up streets and decorated storefronts. You can even pop into some of the stores while you’re wandering around.
The impact that COVID-19 has had on small businesses is unimaginable, that’s why it’s so important to give back to the small businesses in your community and you can do so easily.
Shop local this holiday season, cross a few things off your gift list, save money in gas and transportation fees, and help your local small businesses at the same time.
We’re working on tools to make local shopping more convenient. Soon, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for conveniently in your community.
If you’re feeling up to it, see if there are any outdoor light displays, festivals, parades, firework displays, or even orchestra performances happening near you. Better yet, try out some roller skating!
Your local newspaper or community social media pages are a great place to keep in touch with what’s happening in your community.
In addition, the library in your town or city likely hosts free events for both kids and adults, offering fun, affordable entertainment for the whole family.
Libraries often have activity passes you can borrow for free admission to local museums or art galleries. You can also visit botanical gardens or greenhouses since they are often cheap or completely free to visit.
The Gage Park Tropical Greenhouse in Hamilton, for example, is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily and offers free admission.
If you live in an area with snow, take advantage of it! Build a snowman, have a snowball fight, or go sledding. And if that’s not cold enough for you, check out your local arena for free public skating events.
Some arenas even let you rent skates for an affordable price, making this a great way to teach the kids (or yourself) how to skate.
Soon you’ll be able to use our tools to discover what’s going on in your community.
2. Host or join a cookie swap.
Love holiday sweets but not the fuss? Try hosting a cookie swap, it’s a game-changer! Call up all your baker friends, invite them to your party, and ask them to bake a batch of their best cookies.
You can spice up the party a bit by designating a theme and asking guests to all bring something in common. For example, you could ask everyone to use peppermint as the main ingredient in their cookies.
You could also ask everyone to bake green cookies as another example. Consider using a sign-up sheet so you know exactly what everyone is bringing and there are no duplicate items.
Imagine everyone shows up to your cookie swap with chocolate chip cookies... They’re delicious, but I don’t think your cookie swap would be a very big hit at that point.
You can tackle this challenge using our tools by creating a workspace for your cookie swap. You can set up a theme for your cookie swap and name the workspace “Peppermint Cookie Swap,” for example.
Then, you could assign types of cookies to different people or ask them to list what they’re bringing so there are no repeated items.
You can even create an event for your cookie swap so everyone can plan accordingly. In addition, you can suggest times so the event works for everyone involved.
Remember to send out invitations to your guests with enough notice so they have time to plan and bake their cookies. Make sure you ask about any dietary restrictions such as allergies.
You can ask your guests to bring a recipe card, or a list of ingredients used in their cookies just in case any of your guests have concerns or questions.
Alternatively, you can use our tools to list the ingredients for each recipe. This way, someone can alert the baker if their recipe has an allergen, and the baker may have time to alter their recipe.
Finally, get everyone together to swap cookies (and recipes)! This makes for a fun, stress-free holiday baking experience.
You’ll end up with a delightful assortment of treats that you can share with friends, family, or colleagues without having to whip up a bunch of different recipes.
This is also a great way to expand your tastebuds, try new things, and take home some new recipes. You can impress everyone at your next holiday party with the awesome cookie recipe you picked up at the cookie swap.
Use our tools to keep track of all the recipes brought to your cookie swap. This way, they can easily be shared with others, and no one has to try writing down their recipes onto cards 20 times or wasting printer paper and ink.
3. Partake in group gifting.
Giving gifts can become expensive very quickly, but collaboration is the key to success and that’s why group gifting is a great way to reduce the overall price and is usually done in a few different ways:
Everyone buys a gift for a specific person in the group:
The first way involves getting a group of say 8 people together and deciding on a budget of $25 per gift, for example.
Each person lists one to three items they would like (within the budget) and then each person draws a name. This type of group gifting helps to increase the odds of both getting and receiving gifts people desire.
This is something I’ve done in my family for years now. My siblings and I exchange gift ideas, select names, and set the budget for our group gift swap in October. Then, we have a few months to shop for gifts.
It helps us save money because when we all get together for the holidays, we only focus on buying gifts for the children in the family, our parents, our grandparents, and the one person we’re responsible for in the gift swap.
Since I have 5 siblings, it can get expensive to buy a gift for each of them (plus their partners), so we love doing the group gift swap.
Soon, group gifting can be done more conveniently with our tools. For example, you could create a workspace, assign gifters, and make everyone list 3 items they’d like as a gift.
Then, you could add the budget so people know what they should suggest as a gift and what they should spend. This way, everyone can access the information conveniently.
Everyone combines their money/efforts to purchase one, large gift
An alternative way of group gifting involves getting a group of people together to purchase one larger-ticket item for someone since it can be difficult for individuals to purchase expensive items on their own.
Depending on the recipient of the gift, you can consider going in on it with a few of your friends, family members, or colleagues.
In this scenario, you can give as much (or as little) as you can afford and still be able to share in the joy your recipient will feel when they receive the gift.
You can do this using our tools. Soon, you’ll be able to coordinate and collaborate on group efforts like this one using our tools. Conveniently track and organize ideas, spending, contributions, and more – all in one place!
A great idea to keep in mind is using all those rewards and points you’ve built up over the years with various brands. Redeem those rewards and get a great gift without breaking the bank.
Overall, group gifting is just a better use of time, since there will be fewer people trying to brainstorm gift ideas, running from store to store, and wrapping gifts.
Moreover, it increases the odds of getting a good gift for someone, rather than just getting them something for the sake of having something to give.
It also helps prevent you from getting clutter or random items that you’re just bound to throw away. Realistically, it saves everyone money in the long run.
Moreover, it increases the odds of getting a good gift for someone. It also helps prevent you from getting clutter or random items that you’re just bound to throw away. Realistically, it saves everyone money in the long run.
Gift shopping can be a stressful and time-consuming experience, so reduce that pain by participating in group gifting events.
4. Don’t let fashion break your budget.
When you have holiday dinners and parties to attend, it can be expensive to keep up with all the fancy attire involved. You don’t want to wear the same outfit to multiple events, but you also don’t want to spend an arm and a leg to be fashionable.
Consider sharing or borrowing items from a friend. You could share/borrow everything from clothes, and shoes to jewelry and accessories – all of which add up and are often only worn a few times.
You could use our tools to keep track of the items you’ve shared or intend to share with a friend. You could create a workspace dedicated to the clothing/items and share it with these friends.
Then, you could set statuses on items that are being used. Alternatively, you can create a calendar so everyone can plan the borrowing of items and prevent overlaps.
You wouldn’t want to plan to wear the polka-dot dress on the SAME DAY your friend plans to wear it for her birthday party. Prevent issues like that with our tools.
Another option is to rent an outfit from places like Fitzroy in Toronto, an affordable designer dress rental store. Another good place to look is a consignment store or thrift shop – you never know what you’ll find!
Don’t be afraid to re-use items either. You could pair your dress with something as simple as a cute belt, a shawl, or a different pair of shoes to change up its look.
You can also switch up your accessories, like wearing a hat or putting on some jewelry for an affordable outfit change – all of which can be shared/borrowed with another person, which ultimately reduces the cost.
5. Gift experiences instead of material objects.
Experiences lead to memories and memories can last a lifetime. That’s why you should consider shifting your focus from gifting material things to gifting shared experiences.
Sure, it’s fun to have stuff to show off to people but it’s even better to have stories to tell. That’s why a great gift could involve organizing an event with friends or family, for example.
A gift in the form of a planned event or trip is a great way to make memories and spend time together, too. Check out our 10 tips for travelers and flyers if you’re not sure how to plan a trip!
You can even check out local cooking, pottery, candle, or soap-making classes as a fun starting point. Visit your local community centre for more activity ideas, as they often offer free classes.
You can also use the internet to learn new things with your loved ones. Try out some YouTube videos and learn how to draw or paint, for example.
Additionally, you can check out our resources section for more fundamental principles. We’ve already created a ton of helpful guides and we’re actively working on more!
You can pick up some inexpensive art supplies from a local store or use what you have lying around the house.
Do you have any special skills that your loved ones want to learn? Gift them one-on-one lessons with you and teach them your wisdom!
This is a great way to spend time together and gift them something they truly want – knowledge and time spent with one of their favourite people.
There are so many ways you could gift an experience to someone, even just by lending a hand. For example, you could offer to shovel your neighbour's driveway or babysit your sister’s kids so she and her partner can have a nice evening out.
Overall, it’s the thought that counts. It sounds cliché, but it’s true! Gifting experiences is important because they create lasting memories without the large price tag, and what could be better than that?
6. Hand-make your gifts, they’re better anyways.
The best gifts are often homemade because they’re made with love and the scarcest commodity – your time. Making your gifts yourself allows you to personalize them as well, which can’t always be done when purchasing items from stores.
Another idea is to make handmade cards. These can go great with gift cards or smaller gift items. If your loved one has a unique name, for example, it can be impossible to find personalized gifts (and they feel that pain, too, trust me).
That’s why it can be so special to make them a unique, personalized gift that they’d never be able to find in a store.
It may take a few tries to perfect the homemade gift you intend to make, but failure is crucial to success, so don’t be afraid to try and try again.
Your loved ones will care more about the time and thought you put into their gift as opposed to whether the gift is perfectly made or not.
But if you realize that you’re just not artistically inclined, consider buying an affordable do-it-yourself (DIY) kit from the store.
If your budget is $20, for example, buying a DIY kit could be cheaper (and much more thoughtful) than throwing $20 on a gift card or buying the first thing you see that makes you think of them.
Once you get the hang of crafting, you can start to buy items in bulk and make a heap of thoughtful, homemade cards and gifts at a super affordable price.
You can even get construction paper, markers, and festive stickers from the store to spice up your gifts and cards.
And if you don’t want to purchase anything to make your gifts or cards, you can reuse old magazines or other materials you have lying around the house.
Do you have old holiday decorations you’ve been meaning to throw out? Repurpose them! If you’re stuck on ideas, try searching for inspiration on Pinterest.
7. Stick to a budget, price check, and be proactive.
Sticking to a budget in general can be difficult, let alone when it’s the holiday season. A helpful tip to get your budget to last through every gift purchase is to consider tracking your expenses.
Write your holiday expenses down on a piece of paper or use the notes app on your phone so the list is always with you. Then, you can add to it as you shop and accurately keep track of your spending.
I always track my holiday purchases in an Excel sheet. I know, it sounds a bit nerdy, but I’m able to look back and see what I bought for someone in the previous years.
I keep a detailed list of what I plan to buy for each person and my intended budget. In a separate area, I track what I’ve purchased and the final cost of each item.
This has proved to be helpful, so I don’t buy the same gift for someone multiple years in a row (it’s hard to keep track of all the different things I’ve bought over the years).
It also helps me keep track of how much I’ve spent on each person and how much I’ve spent in total.
When it comes to budgeting, purchasing big-ticket items can prove to be difficult. That’s why it’s a smart idea to use a price comparison website like Google Shopping.
Using these types of websites allows you to compare prices from different vendors and with a little research you can often find a better price.
In addition, many stores have price-match policies nowadays, so if you find a better deal, they are obligated to match it. Best Buy, for example, lists instructions on how to request a price match listed on their website.
Soon, you’ll be able to do all of this conveniently with our tools. Create a track your gift list and spending plus find, compare, and purchase products – all in one place.
Don’t forget to watch out for major holiday sales like Boxing Day. Although Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, stores often host holiday sales well into the new year.
If you have expensive electronics on your gift list, for example, it’s a good idea to scoop them up during these sales events.
Spreading out your gift purchases can also help you save money since one of the surest ways to overspend is to wait until the last minute and buy all your gifts all at once.
Another important tip when it comes to budgeting is spreading out your gift purchases can also help you save money since one of the surest ways to overspend is to wait until the last minute and buy all your gifts all at once.
More importantly, this makes for a stressful gift-shopping experience and the holidays are stressful enough as it is.
Instead, consider using our tools to manage and track your holiday spending. Stay tuned for more information on how to do this.
8. Don’t buy toys, buy timeless gifts for kids.
Buying gifts for children can get expensive since modern toys have large price tags. A great idea, however, is to gift them something you loved as a child.
This gives a typical item, like a toy or a book, for example, so much more meaning. If you had a favourite book as a child, gift them a copy.
They will be excited to have someone to talk to about it. You can also give the gift of education. Try teaching them new skills while creating memories.
For example, you could purchase them a recipe book and teach them how to bake their favourite dessert. Even better, make something you both love and enjoy it together afterward.
You can also get creative a gift them a “movie-night-in-a-box" for example, and fill it with a few of your favourite films, snacks, and drinks.
Cozy up on the couch with your little one and enjoy a night in. Throw in some board games or puzzles to make it an all-day experience.
Let them join in on the holiday baking and cooking. This gives them a chance to learn important skills like patience and responsibility but will create lasting holiday memories they will cherish until they’re old and grey.
You can also make holiday decorating a fun and memorable experience by crafting some of your own décor. From paper snowflakes to strings of garland, the options are endless with a little construction paper, some glue, and imagination.
This way, every time you pull out the decorations for the holidays, you’ll be reminded of the special memory you created while making them.
More importantly, filling your home with personal items can often mean so much more than filling it with store-bought things.
Another idea is to take the little ones out for a day trip. As mentioned previously, there are a ton of free things to do around your community and a lot of holiday activities are tailored towards kids.
Give them the gift of a cherished experience this year, as they will remember the time you spent with them far longer than the gifts you bought.
Soon, you’ll be able to find things to do with your child right in your community using our tools.
9. Turn that festive feast into a potluck.
Potlucks are a great idea: everyone brings one dish to share, and you end up with a feast. They are similar to cookie swaps since they make planning easy.
You can literally bring one item to a potluck and your work is complete. Ensure that you cook to the count, however, as you want to bring enough to allow everyone to have some – even if it’s just a heaping pot of mashed potatoes.
If you’re hosting one, you may have a little more work, like contributing tables and chairs, for example. You may also have the responsibility of coordinating a theme and/or keeping track of what guests are bringing.
It’s important to keep track of what people are bringing so you don’t have duplicate items. You can also make it fun by adding a spin to the theme.
A good friend of mine planned a potluck dinner and had everyone bring an item that started with the first letter of their name.
For example, if your name started with the letter “A,” you could bring something like “Apple Crisp.” This can make a typical dinner more exciting and unique.
Potlucks are especially helpful to those who aren’t great at cooking, or who live by themselves and just don’t have the need to prepare a feast.
When attending a potluck, no one is forced to prepare a three-course meal, and everyone gets to leave with their bellies full (and maybe even some leftovers). In addition, you get to taste a variety of different foods and recipes.
Don’t forget to ask your guests to write our recipe cards to place next to their dishes. This is an important idea to keep in mind if any of your guests have dietary restrictions or allergies.
When attending a potluck, no one is forced to prepare a three-course meal, and everyone gets to leave with their bellies full (and maybe even some leftovers).
In addition, you get to taste a variety of different foods and recipes. This is probably one of the best tips for how to handle holiday stress.
You can even ask your guests to write our recipe cards to place next to their dish. This is an important idea to keep in mind if any of your guests have dietary restrictions or allergies.
This way, they can safely choose what they’d like to eat without having to ask a ton of people questions.
The best thing about potlucks, however, is that it’s a chance for everyone to get together, make memories, and spend time getting to know each other.
Each dish gives a glimpse into each guest’s life, and you may just end up learning something about the people you hold close in your life.
Similar to planning the cookie swap, you can also use our tools to plan and organize your potluck.
10. Give back, gain joy: volunteer for the holidays.
Spreading the holiday cheer costs absolutely nothing. Whether it’s offering a kind word or a helping hand, there are so many things you can do to spread joy through the holidays.
One of the best ways to spread the Christmas spirit, however, is to volunteer. Check in with your local non-profit organizations to see if there’s anything you can do to lend a hand.
One of the best ways to spread the Christmas spirit, however, is to volunteer. Check-in with your local non-profit organizations to see if there’s anything you can do to lend a hand.
Most charities have very little staff and resources, so they need all the help they can get. They may even have an online wish list or donation registry.
For example, the Halton Women’s Place wish list asks for toiletries and hygiene products like dish soap and body wash for sensitive skin.
The Sick Kids Toronto donation page asks for toys, books, and electronics. They even request Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Soon, you’ll be able to find charities and causes to support in your community using our tools. You’ll be able to find and join volunteers, access information and resources, plus give support to those who need it most.
Many people have to spend the holidays alone, so consider sending holiday cards to those in need.
You can also check out online charities that specialize in sending cards. For example, Sending Sunshine is a registered charity that sends handwritten cards to senior citizens.
Communities often host events like coat or clothing drives during the winter. This is a great time to donate extra stuff you no longer use or that doesn’t fit.
When you live in colder climates, a warm sweater or coat can go a long way to help a person in need.
Whatever the case, volunteering can be extremely fulfilling, since it can build a sense of confidence and pride. You can learn new skills, build friendships, and make a huge impact on someone’s life.
So, if you’re struggling this holiday season, consider volunteering as a way to bring some positivity into your life, meet new people, and just feel an overall sense of higher purpose.
Of course, don’t forget about the ones closest to you - they may need a hand this season, too. Ask a neighbour if you can help them with chores or write a thank you card for important members of your community.
Consider creating a workspace using our tools to help out those who need it in your neighbourhood.
You could share the link with your neighbours and ask them to make requests for things like “snow removal” or “help unloading groceries.”
Then, you and your neighbours can see and respond to these requests to ensure your neighbourhood is well looked after.
For example, you could write a thank you card for the post office worker who mails your letters and Amazon returns constantly, or the person who serves you coffee every morning.
A small, kind gesture goes a long way and could brighten their holiday season.
Hungry for more advice? Stay tuned for more guides on how to achieve your goals using our solutions and keep in mind that soon, groundbreaking tools will turn these principles into actionable steps.
Software and Process Design - a group of expert problem-solvers crafting software solutions that redefine. Learn more about the work we’re doing at softwareandprocessdesign.com.
