Most of us who haven’t been born into the same 20-bedroom house as Harry Styles are hoping Christmas will be one of our cheaper times of the year. Not everyone can skip over the routine of the house and keep the lights and food going though, and so here at ShinyShiny we’ve compiled a list of the best ways to offset the cost of the holidays in some pretty creative ways.
Read on to see our favourite 30 minute or less ways to trim Christmas excess – whether it’s reducing the number of days, organising a cheap and cheerful binge, or even bringing items back to life with one of these 12 skills.
1. Encourage yourself to be the snowman that no one will ever see
Don’t underestimate the power of your Christmas post. Before you know it you’ll be under the tree with a pile of presents you didn’t even want.
2. Become the creator of new albums with these crafty project ideas
The DIY vibe with these ideas for turning old CDs into music or arranging the pages of a book with paint will leave no room for anything else.
3. Double up on the fun of donating
Donating was second nature back in 1992 when we made this paper bird-wing as one of our gifts.
4. Use the kids as your canvases
Filling their buckets with paint can be fun on their own, but try also filling their buckets with any festive bit of art they can use. And share the creations with us in the comments below.
5. Making a DIY Christmas game from your bike is a real ace
Think of all the fun you could have with your own Christmas canvas with this “chicken bucket” game.
6. Take a holiday yourself
If you don’t see yourself celebrating the big day in the same way this year, why not make that new year’s resolution to self-indulgently travel the world? Here are some ideas for spots you might want to visit this Christmas.
7.Make the most of your leftovers
By freeze-drying your leftover cake instead of throwing it away save yourself a few quid. Plus you can freeze even more after that.
8.Share your leftover fortune
As much as we want to keep everything for ourselves, why not share it with your friends and family? Here are some other ways to ensure you’re tipping by the time you unwrap your present this year.
9.Bake extra Christmas cake
Potato soup – for the table!
10. Teach some kids the art of making a snowman
You won’t even need to invest in reindeer hats or boat body-pads. Here are 12 fun ideas for making snowmen.
11. Make a decoration from a clay version of your next door neighbour’s Lego
They might not be the most expensive ones around, but made from your own box of bricks it’s a gorgeous way to bring Christmas cheer to someone else.
12. Keep your Great British Bake Off sarnie going for longer
Don’t put your milk tin away yet, because even the thought of this kitchen ingredient gets you up to your elbows in grease. Here are a few ways to make the most of British semi-skimmed milk without making yourself sick.