Christmas Shopping Tips

Ideas for reducing costs at Christmas

• Buy one present throughout the year each fortnight, looking out for sales and specials.
• Make your own Christmas cards and in them say things you really value about the person you give them to.
• Make your own presents.
• Give Christmas to Christ - sing carols and share time and love.
• Contact family and friends and inform them of a $2 limit per person, something that is fun.
• Get everyone together for a picnic where everyone brings a plate of food to share. Have a lucky dip for the presents.
• Shop at "op shops" it is amazing some of the treasures you can find.
• Grow some cuttings or seeds and place in a plant pot for a present in time for Christmas.
• Lay-by gifts during the year.
• Try to pay cash instead of using credit cards.
• Organise to share the cost of the family meal and rotate the location yearly.
• Give one family gift at a set cost - put names into a hat to choose which person.
• Give gifts of need for example, ask someone what they need to help them on a daily basis, this may be something practical like a food hamper or general cooking, cleaning or gardening utensils.
• Give a weeks housework, cook a meal or a treat like biscuits or coconut ice as a gift.
• Open a Christmas club savings account and begin paying small amounts each week towards costs for Christmas. Make a note of how much you have saved so you can budget on how much to spend.

This information was compiled as a joint initiative of Lutheran Community Care and Adelaide Central Mission.