Mother's Day

Free printable Mother’s Day 2024 Coloring Page

It’s almost that special day in May when we honor all the Mamas out there. That’s where this free printable Mother’s Day Portrait Coloring Page comes in handy.

It’s set up as a worksheet or coloring page, but the personalization would make it work as a Mother’s Day Card too.

My boys have done this for me for the last few years and I love seeing their drawings of me! Especially as they change over the years.

Want to encourage someone to have your child or children do this for you? Then share this on Facebook and tag them in the post! They will hopefully get the message!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

Floral Mother’s Day Portrait Coloring Page

There’s nothing better than a personalized Mother’s Day Gift, especially when it was made by your child.

Whether it be a fun craft, an art project, or this Mother’s Day portrait coloring page, moms love to open any gift that was made by their child.

For one, it’s something you can hold onto for years to come. A physical reminder of your child’s stage of writing or drawing at that certain moment in time.

Second, it shows that your child took the time to create something special for you. Which in the long run teaches your child the importance of thought over cost when giving gifts. That’s a win-win in the parenting department!

How to use the Portrait Coloring Page

This is an open-ended Mother’s Day activity for kids, so the instructions are fairly simple. Print out the portrait coloring page, making as many copies as needed.

Then, let your child choose markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. to draw their portrait of Mom! Make sure your child signs their name in the designated space as well.

Now you can either give the Mother’s Day Portrait coloring page as a card, or you can place it in a frame.

It’s Time for the Mother’s Day Printable

If you love the idea of this printable, but you are the Mama, there’s a solution for that. You could share this on Facebook and tag those who would help your child make it for you!

Or, you could also email this page to your significant other as a subtle hint.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be a surprise gift. You could print these out and take them to your Mother’s Day Brunch or use as a simple Mother’s Day coloring activity at home.

You would end up with fun portraits of yourself and the kiddos would be entertained too. Click the following link to print out your Mother’s Day coloring page pdf.

MOTHER’S DAY PRINTABLE 2024 Download

Enjoy your printable and hopefully, all the moms in your life have a very Happy Mother’s Day! Make sure you check out our Grandma version too. It’s available after signing up for our newsletter below.

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Father's Day Mother's Day Sports Life

The Easiest DIY Golf Gift Idea for the Golfer in your Life

Colorful golf balls decorated for Father's Day

This DIY Golf Gift Idea is the perfect homemade present for the golf-loving dad, grandpa, coach, teacher, or simply someone special in your life.

Don’t forget the golf-playing Mom or Grandma too! These would be special to create for Mother’s Day and then spend your day hitting them at the golf course together.

Keep reading to find out the two supplies you need to create your personalized golf gift. Plus tips on how to personalize this gift to make it extra special.

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

The Easiest DIY Golf Gift Idea

If the pictures haven’t given it away yet, this DIY Golf Gift Idea is about… personalized golf balls!

My husband is an avid golfer and we take our boys to the driving range and golf course frequently.

It was on one of our driving range trips that the idea to have the boys personalize golf balls for Father’s Day came to exist.

Our youngest was playing with a bucket of range balls and all the different markings and dots on the balls caught his interest.

Random Information: If you didn’t know, some golfers mark their balls to be able to identify them.

All those boring dots made me think it could be fun to decorate some golf balls for Dad. Instead of a box of boring golf balls or a new golf towel, his present would be a unique one he would love.

Supplies Needed for Personalized Golf Balls

You only need two things to be able to complete this DIY Golf Gift. The first is permanent markers like these classic Sharpie Markers.

Or these super fun Electro Pop Sharpies.

However, my favorites to use, are these Sharpie Metallics.

Whatever permanent marker you choose, the ones with felt-like tips do work better than super fine tip markers.

Next, you need the Golf Balls

This might seem like a no-brainer where you simply drop into the local sports store and grab a box of balls.

However, you need to think about where the person you are making these for is most likely to use them.

For example, my husband uses “expensive” golf balls when he’s playing on league night or a tournament.

I know that he isn’t going to want to use these decorated and very colorful golf balls when his competitiveness is in full force.

Most likely, these are going to be put to use when we have our boys at the golf course on a slow Sunday night. This means I can save some money, while also having 3 times the golf balls to decorate!

How do do this? Simple – by purchasing “used golf balls” or sometimes they are called recycled or driving range balls.

These tend to come in bags, occasionally onion bags for some strange reason, and have anywhere from 50 to 100 assorted golf balls.

There might even be a few colored balls mixed in the pack!

Again, thinking about the person you are creating the gift for will help you decide which kind of golf balls to purchase.

Steps to Creating Your Personalized Golf Balls

child holding a marker next to golf balls

Once you have chosen your golf balls and have your permanent markers, it’s time to let the fun begin.

The options are endless as to what you can write or draw on the golf balls. If you are making these for Father’s Day you could write:

Happy Father’s Day

#1 Dad

Dad Rules

If these are for a birthday or holiday gift, or as thank you present, you could theme your phrases around those as well:

Happy Birthday!

Here’s to 40!

Thanks, Coach

Best Coach Ever

As far as drawings, the sky is the limit. You can do patterns, stripes, polka dots, stick people, rainbows, and like my youngest, even completely color them one color!

Of course, you could also send your husband a gentle reminder about how much he plays golf too.

Golf ball with "I miss my wife" written on it

This one works best if you don’t mind how much he does play golf!

*WINK*

Tips for Personalizing Golf Balls DIY

I feel it goes without saying, but just in case:

permanent markers are permanent.

This is best to do with older children who you can trust to not use the markers on things other than the golf balls.

Looking back, I wish I’d made my youngest (he was 3) wear rubber gloves since he struggled to hold the ball and use the marker. But after a day of swimming, the marker had worn off.

Last, having something fun to put your golf balls in is a great idea too. We used a #1 Dad Trophy from Target, but you could use a coffee mug, a new golf club head cover, or even a golf bag accessory pouch.

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Sports Life

The Ultimate List of Soccer Mom Must-Haves

Soccer ball on a field in front of soccer players

Hello, fellow Soccer Mom! It’s that time of year when we dust off the cleats and head back to the soccer fields. Make sure you have these Soccer Mom Must-Haves to enjoy this season truly.

What makes something a Soccer Mom must have?

Well for me it’s simply something that makes life easier as a soccer mom.

If you want tips to help you survive a busy soccer season, check out our post on Tips for Soccer Moms.

It’s full of ideas to help you prepare for a chaotic soccer season.

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

The Ultimate List of Soccer Mom Must-Haves

Let’s jump right into the top items that will make your soccer season much easier.

There are tons of soccer mom essentials here, but if you have something you always have on hand at soccer games, and we missed it, please comment below.

I’m all about sharing great ideas to make life easier for everyone!

These Boots were Made for Walking

Beyond the cleats for your player, you need to make sure you have shoes that can withstand the soccer day as well.

This might mean rain boots for wet days and tennis shoes for parks where you know you’ll be doing tons of walking.

Having an extra pair of dry socks and shoes can go a long way if it means you don’t spend the day with water-logged toes.

Even a pair of old flip-flops left in the car can make the drive home with dry feet much more enjoyable.

It’s all about the Wagon

I know back in the day the utility wagon was the minivan of soccer moms.

However, much like a minivan, once you have realized how useful it can be, it becomes a necessity.

Our wagon has not only been our pack mule for chairs, snacks, drinks, and toys; it has also been a napping spot for my youngest.

It’s a versatile piece that not only lets you haul all your soccer gear for the day but folds up easily too.

If you have a busy day of soccer planned, a wagon will go a long way in helping you keep up with the trips from different fields and the car.

Extra Clothes for the Win

Even if your soccer player doesn’t win their game, you will be winning at the soccer mom life if you can avoid having a muddy or wet child enduring the long ride home.

Having an extra set of clothes for your player as well as little siblings can keep your car clean and your kids warmer and happier too.

Make sure you check out our Fun Toy & Gift Ideas for Kids who Love Soccer! There are tons of Christmas & birthday gift ideas for boys and girls of all ages!

Just in Case you Forget

I suppose this doesn’t fit the category of Soccer Mom Must-Haves, but it is a tip that has saved our family a few times.

Along with extra clothes, you might consider having extra soccer gear packed away in your car too.

Odds are at some point in the season, somebody will forget their cleats, socks, shin guards, etc.

We keep a bag in the trunk of our vehicle that has extras of all of these.

Cleats can be hard since normally you buy new ones when the old ones no longer fit. But a slightly smallish pair is better than having no cleats at all.

Have A Seat if you Please

If you’ve been to many soccer games in your life, you are already aware that most of these fields are BYOC (bring your own chair) events.

So make sure you have a great soccer mom chair. It needs to be easy to carry, but comfortable too. These sports chairs have come a long way and range from basic to deluxe.

For example, the above picture is of your classic fold-up chair. However, this next picture is of a fold-up rocking chair… sweet.

One More Sitting Option

Another great item to have in your trunk is an outdoor or waterproof blanket.

These not only provide a great place to sit during the game, but they can be useful after the games too.

Use them to pile any wet or dirty soccer gear in the back of your car, or for your wet soccer player to sit on to avoid damaging your seats.

Rain or Shine – It’s Umbrella Time

Sitting through a rainy soccer game or a scorching hot one is not always an enjoyable thing.

However, if you remember to bring your own protection or shade, it can be made much more enjoyable.

There are tons of umbrella sizes available, so make sure you pick one that will protect you from the elements, without taking out the view of everyone around you.

One of my favorite umbrellas has an attachment that lets it clip to your chair or wagon.

This is perfect if you want to provide shade for little ones. It’s also nice because you don’t have to hold the umbrella for an entire soccer game.

Along the lines of not having to hold the umbrella, you can also look into a Canopy Umbrella. These attach to the ground and create a half-igloo of shade.

The next option is an actual pop-up Canopy Tent that fits several people. These are easily moved (just be careful on windy days) and are also great to use in between games.

Shirts for the Win

Now, this isn’t technically an essential item, but having a fun soccer mom shirt can help you with deciding what to wear to those early morning soccer games.

All the Essential Soccer Mom Must-Haves

This section is kind of like the “always need” list of items for soccer moms.

It’s the common sense items that can sometimes get forgotten in the hustle and bustle to get out the door.

That’s why keeping these items in your car, because they are great for other events besides soccer games, can be a lifesaver. Here are the items we recommend:

If you’re wondering about the bags, these are great for using to toss in dirty cleats, uniforms, etc.

They can also be used to gather all your snack trash from your day at the soccer park.

Eat, Drink, and be Soccer Merry

You’ll want to make sure that your soccer player has a water bottle, and that you have a way to refill it if needed.

We love the stainless steel water bottles because they keep your water so cold, even in the hot sun!

It’s not a bad idea to have snacks packed for your player as well.

Concession stands can have minimal options and sometimes you won’t have time to leave the soccer park to grab a bite to eat.

Soccer Mom Must-Haves for Little Siblings

With a husband who coaches all three of our boys, I’ve spent much of my soccer mom’s life attempting to corral kids during a soccer game.

There are two main ways to do this: snacks & entertainment. If you want to see all my tips for how to watch a soccer game while wrangling little siblings, click through to my Soccer Mom Survival Guide.

Thanks so much for checking out our Soccer Mom Must-Haves! I

If you have something that has become necessary for you and your soccer player, please comment below and help other soccer moms out!

Also, share the Pinterest pin below to save these ideas to come back to later, and also help out other soccer moms!

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Sports Life

The Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide: Tips from the Sideline

Welcome to the Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide! We’ve mapped out everything we could think of to help you survive this soccer season. Actually, not just to survive it, but to enjoy it too.

You might be thinking the word survival is a rather drastic choice to use in the post. As a mom with 3 kids playing soccer this season and a husband who coaches all 3 teams, it becomes survival!

But having a game plan and being organized is the best way to rock your child’s soccer season.

How to Prepare for a crazy busy Soccer Season

{This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission.}

Now, let’s jump right in with the most important thing on our Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide…

Soccer Moms need a good Chair

Didn’t see that one coming? It’s all good, you see I haven’t actually sat in my chair for more than 5 minutes because of chasing my other kids during games.

But this year, my youngest will be starting preschool soccer. I am incredibly excited that I will be able to sit for his entire game, while my older boys watch or hang out in the park.

This chair will become your “home” for the entire soccer season, so pick one that is easy to pack & carry; bonus points if it has a place for your drink and phone.

Always plan for changing Weather

There’s always the weather factor of playing soccer, especially in the Midwest, that requires soccer moms to be on top of their planning game.

If there is anything in this Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide you should read – it’s this section.

For example, have you ever started a soccer game in flip-flops and ended it with snow in your hair? Yep, I have!

Knowing the weather forecast is even more important if you are traveling for a weekend soccer trip.

There are likely stores close to where your child will be playing, but do you really want to have to purchase hats & gloves for your entire family when you have a million of them at home? Yeah, me neither.

Keeping an eye on the weather lets you plan, and pack if needed, to avoid having a weather mishap during your soccer game.

Surviving the Super Cold Soccer Game

If you’re heading to a cold soccer game, you’ll probably want to dress yourself and your little soccer player with at least a warm hat, gloves, undershirt and maybe compression base layer pants.

Try using hand warmers to keep your fingers and hands toasty instead of frozen. Also, having warm blankets to cuddle up in can be a lifesaver too.

All about the Hot Soccer Game Survival

Now if the weather is going to be hot & humid, you’ll have better luck packing an umbrella, cooling towels, and extra water.

Going beyond a regular umbrella, sometimes a Pop-Up Canopy Tent for the team or parents is a nice way to catch a break from the beating sun.

Rain, Rain Go Away – It’s a Soccer Game Day

Unlike baseball, just because it is raining doesn’t mean that your soccer game is going to be canceled. As long as there is no lightning in your area, thanks to the introduction of turf fields, you are probably going to be watching a “rain game”.

The first thing to prepare for is your feet! Make sure you have rain boots or shoes that withstand water really well. If you’re at the soccer park for a long day, at least having dry feet will help when the rest of your clothing is wet or damp.

Next, you are going to want to plan accordingly for your soaked soccer player to need to get into your car after the game.

Things to have on hand would be towels, a trash bag (to throw muddy cleats in for the ride home) and possibly an extra set of clothes for your child.

Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide – Food

Maybe it’s because I’m raising three growing boys, but food is always a constant in the back of my mind. Where will we grab lunch? Am I in charge of preschool game snacks today?

Or even better, when the game is almost over and you start thinking about dinner. You know you still have loads of homework to help with, and showers for everyone, and making a meal just doesn’t sound possible. That’s where meal planning can be a lifesaver!

Food for the Soccer Games

First, you need to consider your duration of time at the soccer game(s). If you have one game for the day, you are probably good to throw in a water bottle and head out the door.

If you are going to be at the soccer park longer; you’ll need to pack for water refills, snacks & depending on your game times, and possibly lunch.

Parking can be atrocious at sports parks and sometimes leaving to grab a bite to eat just isn’t an option. So having food on hand can save you money at the concession stand and make for a less stressful day.

Also, make sure to keep track in your planner or phone calendar app of the games that you are responsible for team snacks. Now my older boys no longer do this, but in preschool, you don’t want to be the busy mom who forgot the snacks.

Those little eyes will look up at you like lost puppies when they realize they aren’t rocking goldfish or fruit snacks after their hard-played game (wink).

Meal Planning for Your Busy Soccer Season

This season my boys have games every Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday. Plus there’s baseball on Monday nights and don’t forget all the school events too.

Now maybe you have perfected the art of not caving in and eating out when busy, but I’m on the struggle bus with this one. The only thing that keeps our budget intact is meal planning.

Search Pinterest for easy meals for the crockpot or instant pot. Use your slowest day of the week and meal prep as much as you can. Write down or record somewhere what you are having for dinner so that you can stick to it.

Also, don’t forget that a sandwich, carrots, yogurt, and an apple are perfectly fine for supper. Give yourself a break and make one of your busiest days an “easy meal” night. Rotate through different breads, wraps, and rolls to make your easy meal night not the same every week.

Smelly Soccer Socks, Shing Guards & Shoes

You guys have caught on by now that soccer is a sport played in various weather conditions. Therefore, it’s also a sport that can bring about numerous smells.

Trust me, if you’ve ever left sweaty soccer gear in your car on a hot day for an extended time, you know the smells I’m talking about!

If soccer shoes are wet, especially if you need them soon, try our Easy Drying Shoes Hack. It doesn’t involve throwing wet cleats into your dryer, so it’s great for hotel stays.

Also, make sure everything wet is taken out of your soccer bag at the end of the day or weekend. Let the bag and items air out so that you avoid the dreaded moldy smell the next time you use your bag.

Products to help with Soccer Smells

There are two products that I love to help with the sports smell that is starting to permeate our car and home.

The first is this Rockin’ Green Platinum Series Active Wear Laundry Detergent that is geared at pulling out sweat enzymes and making your laundry fresh again. Bonus, it’s all-natural, bio-degradable & eco-friendly.

The second one is a good shoe deodorizer spray. I don’t have a specific brand I prefer, but you can find lots of options in stores, and online & I’ve even used one from Norwex before that worked well.

Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide with Technology

If you have been resistant, it’s time to embrace that technology has come to youth sports. Currently, 7 apps on my phone are specifically related to my boys’ sports activities.

What are these apps exactly? Well 3 of them are messaging apps that coaches use to communicate with the teams. They are easier to handle and organize than group texting.

Then three of the apps are tournament and recreational league apps. These keep me informed of schedules, canceled games, time changes, results and so much more.

The final app is to keep score during the games. Yep, I’m that Mom who can never remember the score. Could be because I’m keeping an eye on little siblings. Keep reading more about that below.

The Soccer Mom Survival Guide of Tips, Tricks & Hacks to Rock Soccer Season

The Soccer Mom with Little Kids

The art of watching a soccer game while also keeping an eye on your other kids could probably be a post all to itself.

Did you catch earlier that my husband coaches our boys’ soccer teams? That means I’m not able to “tag-team” the supervision duties with him during the games.

Ever. Never. Not once.

Now I’m not bitter that my hubs donates his time to coach; just making the point that even if you are flying solo, these tips can help!

Like most things as a mom, if you have little ones you are going to have to simply expect that you will miss something.

There will be numerous trips to the bathroom where you return and someone says “You missed her goal,” or “He just had an amazing save!”

You will bend down to unwrap that tenth sucker you are letting your youngest devour so you can try to watch the game and will look up to see your child celebrating with his teammates and have to ask, “What happened?”

Expecting to miss things, will make it somewhat easier when it happens. Which it will. So how do I suggest you miss as few things as possible?

Entertaining the Littles at Siblings Soccer Games

First, out of the gate, you already know that suckers are involved in this process… So a little candy never hurts to buy you some time during a game. Snacks never hurt either.

Of course, food isn’t always going to be an option so if you need another vice, there’s always electronics. Now that the obvious two are out of the way, here are some other ideas.

Before we start a busy soccer season, I love to visit Dollar Tree and find treasures for the “Soccer Fun Bag”. What is this magical bag?

It’s a collection of new toys, crafts, coloring books, etc. that I can pull from as needed.

Now the idea isn’t to dump the bag at the first game and expect magic.

But strategically pull items from the bag before games so that your little ones have a few new toys to play with each time. Some of the things I have found to work from the Dollar Store include:

Coloring and Activity Books

Stickers

Dry Erase Boards & Markers

Construction Paper & Scissors

Playdough (on a cookie sheet from home)

Those are a few of the items that have worked in the past. In the Spring the stores will put out the seasonal summer items and there are usually even more outside treasures to choose from.

Unique Ideas to Keep Siblings Busy

If you are lucky enough to park right beside the playing field, you can also turn your car into a “fun spot” for kids. I’ve dropped all my seats down and the kids think it’s super cool to play with their toys and eat their snacks in there.

You can sit on the tailgate area and watch the game and keep your kids contained. (Please don’t leave your car running while doing this one…)

One of the other things that has helped me in this area is having the other moms of the littles working together. We take turns keeping an eye on the play set, sharing our snacks and toys, and generally being a “soccer village”.

Of course, the guaranteed way to get uninterrupted soccer-watching time… is to get a babysitter. I know this isn’t a financially sound option, but if you have a little one and want to enjoy at least one uninterrupted soccer game, it’s not a bad idea to ask family or friends to watch your little one.

Don’t have anyone you can ask? I’ve been there! Look around at the games for older siblings of teammates. We’ve paid in snow cones & cash for a pre-teen sibling to watch our little guys at the play set during a game.

One Last Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide Tip

We’ve talked about your comfy chair, weather, food, and entertaining siblings, so what else could be left?

The last thing we are going to discuss is how your child’s soccer gear needs to be organized.

Keeping the Soccer Gear Organized

Let’s talk about organization tips that can save your sanity! First, you need to have one place in your home where all the soccer gear is located.

For example, in our house soccer cleats go on the shoe organizer in the garage. Check out our How to Organize Kids’ Shoes post for more ideas about this.

Everything else (shin guards, socks, and jersey) is in the laundry room in individual bins.

This way when you are running in the door while trying to run out the door to a soccer game, you know exactly where everything your child needs is located.

If you don’t have a place for separate bins, simply create a space in a drawer or in a closet where everything “stays” for the entire soccer season.

Also, it helps if your children know not to wear their soccer jerseys when they aren’t playing a game. This way you know once it’s clean, it is going to stay clean until the next game time.

Preparation is the Key to Surviving a Busy Soccer Season

Just like the kids prepare for their upcoming season, so should you. If you wish to make the most of this busy time, you will need to be prepared.

This means making sure you stay on top of the laundry, meal prepping, & the general life tasks involved with motherhood.

Also, make sure you take a peek at our

Ultimate List of Soccer Mom Must Haves

It’s a straightforward list of all the soccer products and related gear to make soccer season easier.

Hopefully, you now have some great ideas from this Soccer Mom’s Survival Guide to help you be prepared & enjoy this soccer season.

Good luck to your soccer player in their games; and to you on the sidelines!

Want to help out your fellow soccer moms? Please share the Pinterest pin below! It not only lets you save the information for yourself but lets other soccer moms use it too!

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Magical Christmas

Memorable Christmas Eve Traditions for Families to Start

Are you looking for a few simple, yet memorable Christmas Eve Traditions to start with your family? Ideas that won’t stretch your Christmas budget, but still create lasting memories?

Keep reading to discover family-favorite Christmas Eve Traditions that your kids will be sure to remember!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

Christmas Eve Traditions for Families

While traditions have the connotation of being set-in-stone activities, they truly are flexible and adaptable for you and your family.

So if you have another event on Christmas Eve, do these the night before you open presents; or on Christmas Day once all the crazy gift-opening dust has settled.

When life is busy and holiday-hectic, finding time for quality family moments can’t always be set to a certain day. Make the most of your time together, even if it doesn’t occur on a traditional day!

Now, let’s jump right into some of our favorite Christmas Eve traditions!

Cookies & Milk for Santa

Yep, the most classic Christmas Tradition made the list first! It’s probably one you already do, but it’s important enough to list it!

While common, there are ways to make this tradition a little more personal for your family. We have a special Santa Plate that only gets used for Santa’s cookies every year.

It’s also tradition for us to take a picture with the plate before we put the cookies on it. You could also do a special Santa glass.

Bake Cookies

Of course, if you are going to leave cookies for Santa, it can’t hurt to make them super special by decorating them on Christmas Eve.

Ditch the traditional chocolate chip, and have a cookie decorating contest before you leave those cookies out for the man in the big red suit.

Make Gingerbread Houses

Another great idea would be to make gingerbread houses. They sell so many gingerbread kits now, so it can be easily done.

One tip – put your gingerbread house structure together earlier in the day. It will “set” better and your children won’t be stalking you while you try to turn food in construction materials.

Put out the Reindeer Food

Growing up, reindeer food meant sneaking a few carrots out of the crisper, but now it has gone to a whole new level!

If you don’t have carrots, or simply want to try a new tradition you can make “reindeer food”. So how do you make reindeer food?

All you really need is oatmeal and maybe a little glitter. Mix the two together and sprinkle them in your front yard. If you’re super dedicated, you can even go out and swish the “food” away so that it appears to have been eaten during the night.

They do sell reindeer food. It would be great for the kids who really like Santa’s reindeer.

One More Letter to Santa

Perhaps your child is a little worried about their behavior lately? Or maybe they just want to write Santa one more letter?

This is an easy Christmas Eve Tradition because you can simply set the letter by the cookie plate for Santa. He can take it with him when he drops off the gifts.

If you want to take it a step further, print out a reply letter. You can find a ton of free printable ones on Pinterest.

Track Santa Online

There are several places online that will help you track Santa as he begins his Christmas Eve journey.

Official NORAD Santa Tracker

Google Santa Tracker

Not only do these sites offer Santa Tracking Services, but they also have fun games, music, and activities for children too.

Watch the Reindeer Cam

Beyond checking in on Santa, you can also check out the reindeer back at the North Pole. Perhaps Santa didn’t use all of his reindeer, or he switches them throughout the evening so they don’t get super tired.

Take a peek here:

Reindeer Cam

The Chimney Situation

Another fun Christmas Eve Tradition that works well for those who do not have a chimney in their home. If the question “How does Santa bring our presents if we don’t have a chimney?” is asked every year, then this is the tradition for you!

All you need is a “special key” that you can place outside on Christmas Eve for Santa to enter using your door.

This could be an antique key, a regular key that you attach to a Christmas ornament or even a spray-painted key. Another option would be to purchase a pre-made Santa Key.

Santa can leave the key by the plate of cookies and you’ll have it for next year.

The Christmas Pickle

This Christmas Eve Tradition is one of those where the origin isn’t exactly known. If you want to read theories on it, click here. Whatever the origin, it’s still a fun tradition for families.

On Christmas Eve a pickle ornament is hidden on the Christmas tree. In the morning whoever finds the pickle first is either given an extra present or will have good luck for the coming year.

With 3 boys, we don’t give an extra present to avoid tears on Christmas morning. However, the pickle finder gets to open the first gift.

Enjoy a Christmas Book

The classic Night Before Christmas Book is probably read the most on Christmas Eve. There are so many adaptions to this book, you could read a different one every night in December!

However, there are other great books to read before bed on Christmas Eve. Check out our list of favorite Christmas Books for a few suggestions our family loves reading; like our current favorite Home Alone: The Classic Storybook!

Receiving a new Christmas book would be a great Christmas Eve Tradition too. Take a peek at our Easy Christmas Book Tradition Idea to see how we have made our Christmas Books into a family tradition.

Take a Christmas Lights Drive

Now and then, our Christmas Eve doesn’t have any family get-togethers or parties on the calendar. When our Christmas Eve is spent as family time, one of our favorite things to do is go on a Christmas lights drive.

We load up the kids with blankets and to-go cups of hot cocoa and head out to enjoy the Christmas lights around town. In bigger cities, you could even go to a Christmas Light Park, but this will cost money. Usually a price per car.

Just ONE present on Christmas Eve

Another fun tradition is to let your children open just one present on Christmas Eve. Now sometimes our family gift opening has to happen on Christmas Eve, but if not, this is a fun way to spend the night.

You can wrap the Christmas Eve gifts in special paper and it never hurts to strategically plan which gifts your child will open. For example, if your children are all getting board games for Christmas, opening them would also give you something new and fun to do on Christmas Eve.

Watch a Christmas Movie

There’s nothing better than curling up together and enjoying a holiday movie. From the classics like Miracle on 34th Street to the newer ones like Elf or The Star.

Also, don’t forget after the kiddos are tucked into bed, turn on your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie and finish up all your wrapping!

Open Christmas Pajamas

If you want to have matching pajamas on Christmas morning, gifting them on Christmas Eve is a great way to guarantee they are ready to go.

Decide if you are going to go all out and have the whole family match or just the kids and then purchase what you need. Wrap them up and after you open them, you have the perfect comfy outfit for your family movie night.

Host a Misfits Christmas Eve Party

I’m not talking about inviting the Grinch or Scrooge over on Christmas Eve. I’m suggesting that you host a night for friends and family who don’t have anywhere else to surround themself with Christmas cheer.

Occasionally, when some of our family is at in-laws or out of town, we find ourselves without having plans on Christmas or Christmas Eve.

Having a small get-together with pizza, movies, or board games is a great way to keep the Christmas spirit alive.

Christmas Karaoke

It’s just like regular karaoke, but with the condition that every song you sing must be a Christmas one! Imagine how much fun you can have belting out to Jingle Bells & Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.

If you have tweens and teens they will probably be highly embarrassed by your actions in the beginning, but odds are they will jump in when they realize how much fun they are missing.

Deliver a Surprise Gift to Someone

One of my friend’s family decided several years ago that they would no longer exchange gifts among the adults. Instead, they pool their money and choose someone they all know who has had a hard year and gift it to them.

This made me think about how small acts can go a long way, especially during the holiday season. So before you curl up for that family movie, maybe play Santa a little bit.

Drop off a small gift or card, anonymously if you like, for someone who you know has had a rough year financially or perhaps emotionally. It will show your children generosity and compassion in a season that can be wrapped up in “stuff”.

Play Christmas Games

We’ve all seen and probably played the saran wrap ball game! But that doesn’t mean trying to unwrap that ball and get to the money makes it any less fun.

We have a fun Christmas game called Christmas Catch. Or a building activity using Spice Drops that kids and adults can enjoy.

Also, search Pinterest for some fun Christmas games, minute-to-win-it games are currently the favorite in our home!

Christmas eve traditions for families pin 20c

Say Goodbye to your Elf on the Shelf

Do you have a friendly (or mischievous) little red Elf in your home this year? Well, Christmas Eve is the perfect time to tell him goodbye for the holidays.

Explain that when Santa brings the gifts, your Elf will then leave with Santa to head back to the North Pole. You could even write your Elf a goodbye note.

Also, make sure you check out some of our Elf on the Shelf posts including an Elf Survival Plan which is a plan to help you rock having an Elf!

Or our free printable Elf Calendar to stay organized with your Elf shenanigans. Finally, we have our magical Elf Tongs DIY. They are easy-to-make magical tools that let you move your Elf without setting your kids.

A few more Christmas Ideas

There are so many great Christmas Eve Traditions that families use to create memories every year. If you have a tradition I would love to hear about it! Please drop a comment below and share your tradition with everyone.

Plus we have our 30+ Ways to Save Money at Christmas & an easy way to figure out those teacher gifts!

Hopefully, you have found some easy and fun ideas to celebrate Christmas Eve as a family.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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Free Printable Christmas Savings Plan Tracker you can Customize

We all know Christmas can be expensive. That’s why using this Christmas Savings Plan Printable is a great way to ease that financial crunch in December by saving money all year long.

Whether you are doing a Christmas Savings Challenge, or just looking for a way to record your weekly savings amount, this printable will keep you on track.

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

Customizable Christmas Savings Plan

After a few years of dreading the bills that come with celebrating Christmas, I started researching for a better way to save and prepare for it.

Most of the Christmas Savings Plan Printables or Challenges are all set amounts – $5, $10, or $20 a week.

With a fluctuating income, I needed a plan that would let me record different amounts each week.

So if your income fluctuates, or you simply want to save various amounts, this is the Christmas Savings Plan printable for you.

It has 46 weeks or spots to record what you save. The idea is that you won’t save in December and probably the first couple of weeks of January.

However, you could also see it as 6 weeks to skip during the year if needed.

Ways to Use Your Christmas Savings Tracker Printable

This Christmas Savings plan is built on the idea of you being able to adapt it to your needs.

There are many ways you can easily save for Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites.

The “Cash Back” Store Method

This savings method simply involves you getting cash back whenever you are shopping.

Whether it be $5 or $20, this method allows you to avoid the atm and build up your savings.

“Transfer” Method

Do you have a separate Christmas Savings Account?

Use this method to transfer over a percentage of your paycheck; a set amount each week; or whatever works for you.

Record it on the printable to keep yourself accountable.

Never Spend $1 Method

I have friends who do this with $1 and $5 bills, but you could do it with any denomination you choose.

This method works best for people who primarily use cash; and who don’t want to set a specific savings goal to reach.

How does it work? Every time you are given that bill back in change; it goes into the Christmas envelope. You never spend a $1 bill all year!

Use Your Method

The best part about a customizable Christmas Savings Plan Printable is that you can use it however you wish.

I’d love it if you tell me in the comments how you plan on using the printable.

Sharing your savings plan could help someone else tackle their Christmas expenses for next year.

Saving Money at Christmas

Before you print out your Savings Plan, check out our list of over 30 Ideas to Save Money at Christmas.

This isn’t a savings plan; but tips, hacks, and unique ideas to spend less when Christmas does roll around.

If you are going to save money all year long, you might as well shop and celebrate smart to make the most of it!

Christmas Savings Plan Printable PDF

Click on the link below to print out your free Christmas Savings Plan Printable.

Christmas Savings Printable Download

Also, sign up for our newsletter so that you are one of the first to hear about all of our new printables, tips for busy moms and so much more!

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Teacher Gift Idea Questionnaire Printable for Christmas

These are a few of my Favorite Things Teacher Questionnaire

Take the guesswork out of choosing all those teachers’ gifts this year and simply use our Teacher Gift Idea Questionnaire!

With all the fun of gift-buying, there is always a bit of hesitation when it comes to purchasing gifts for my boys’ teachers.

Do they love Target as much as I do? Are they Amazon shoppers? Do they like to shop in local, small stores?

These patient loving people are educating my children… they deserve a gift that they will enjoy!

That’s how this Teacher’s Favorite Things Questionnaire Printable came to be created. It solves the problem of not knowing what to gift the teachers in our life, without letting them know what exactly they are receiving.

It has a few simple questions to not take up much of their valuable time, but still provides enough information for choosing fun gifts.

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

Teacher Gift Idea Questionnaire Use

Using this Teacher Gift Idea Questionnaire is super easy. Simply send it to school with a little note for your child’s teacher. Ask them to fill it out at their convenience and send it back home to you.

Something extra you could do is share the filled-out questionnaire with other parents in your child’s class.

Sometimes schools or classes have a Facebook Group, so it could easily be shared there.

You could always take a pic of it and share it through text or messaging too.

How to Find the Perfect Christmas Teacher Gift

Even more time-saving Christmas Ideas

We’ve been busy little Elves here at Productive Pete! Before you print out your teacher questionnaire, check out some of our other time or money-saving ideas.

30+ Ways to Save Money at Christmas | Over 30+ tips and hacks to save money at Christmas time.

4 Easy Steps to Make the Elf on the Shelf Easier | Learn how to easily have an Elf in your home and enjoy it!

Christmas Book Tradition for Families | Read all about the easiest Christmas Tradition! It’s an easy tradition to begin!

Here’s your Christmas Printable Teacher Questionnaire

Hopefully, this Teacher’s Favorite Things Printable will help you easily check off those teacher gifts from your Christmas list.

Could you do me a favor before you print out the free questionnaire? Would you share this on Pinterest or Facebook perhaps? Your shares help keep our site growing!

Now, it’s time to get your printable and enjoy not having to worry about those Christmas gifts for teachers!

Click on the link below to print it out.

Teacher Gift Printable Download

If you didn’t receive the sign-up email, check your junk or spam folders.

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Magical Christmas

Free Printable Elf on the Shelf Calendar

Check out our free printable Elf on the Shelf Calendar to keep all of your Elf ideas organized!

Are you tired of always searching for Elf on the Shelf Ideas late at night? Do you jump out of bed to scan Pinterest because you forgot to move your Elf?

If so, this printable Elf on the Shelf Calendar is going to help you rock that little Elf this Christmas!

Free printable Elf on the Shelf Calendar

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

The Elf on the Shelf is Coming…

It’s the most magical time of the year! Unless you are struggling with the idea of your Elf returning. Then it becomes yet another thing adding to your holiday stress.

The arrival of your Elf doesn’t need to be something super stressful. If it is, you can check out my Elf Survival Post. It has 4 easy steps to make having Elf on the Shelf so much easier

Two things make having an Elf difficult for me personally. The first is remembering to move the Elf, and the second is coming up with easy, but still fun ideas.

That’s where this printable Elf calendar comes in super handy.

How to use the Elf on the Shelf Calendar

The joy of a free printable is that you can use it any way you want.

However, there are two ways I recommend using it if you are unsure how to fill in those fun boxes.

Use it as a True Calendar

If you wish to plan your Elf Ideas down to a specific day, then you are going to use the printable as a true calendar. Go ahead and write in the dates for December in the corners of the printable, and then add your Elf antics too.

This would allow you to schedule those easier Elf Escapades during the weekdays; therefore saving the more intricate ideas for the weekend.

Use it as a ‘Pick and Choose’

This is how I use the Elf on the Shelf Calendar. I simply record all of my Elf ideas onto the different blocks. Then I cross them off as I use them.

This way gives me more freedom when nights become busier than expected, or when I don’t have the supplies needed to pull off a planned idea.

But where do I find Elf on the Shelf ideas?

There are tons of amazing places to find Elf on the Shelf ideas. The first is Pinterest. Make sure you follow our Elf on the Shelf Board on Pinterest for tons of easy, funny, silly, and even sweet Elf on the Shelf ideas.

Another easy way is to do a simple Google search. If you don’t want to read through the articles, click over to images and you will see tons of Elf options.

Another idea is to ask your friends for ideas of things they have done in the past. Drop a Facebook post asking for help and I guarantee you’ll get some great ideas.

More Fun Christmas Ideas for Busy Moms

Before you grab your Elf on the Shelf Calendar, make sure you check out some of our other Christmas posts below.

Elf Survival Plan – As mentioned before, this is a four-step plan to do NOW to make having an Elf so much easier.

Elf Tongs – What? Yep, a post all about how to make Elf Tongs so you can safely move your Elf without touching him; and consequently upsetting your kids.

30+ Ways to Save Money at Christmas – Easy tips & ideas to save money during the holidays so you don’t feel the January squeeze with your bills.

A Christmas Book Tradition – This tradition centers around gifting your child books every Christmas. Tons of ideas for personalizing the tradition too.

Child's hand turning page in Christmas book

Here’s your free printable Elf on the Shelf Calendar

Click on the link below to print out your free calendar. But before you do, will you share this printable on Pinterest, or maybe your Facebook page? Shares help our blog grow & also help other Moms find great ideas!

Free Printable Elf Idea Calendar

Also, if you never want to miss one of Pete’s Printables make sure to sign up for our email newsletter below.

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Magical Christmas

30+ Clever Ways to Save Money at Christmas Time

It’s the happiest time of the year! But… it’s also the most expensive time of the year. That’s where these tips to save money at Christmas come in very handy.

Whether you’ve been saving money for Christmas all year or not; the holiday season can be rough on the budget.

Here are 30 plus clever and easy ways to save money at Christmas time. Hopefully, you will find several ideas to help you enjoy the holiday season, without stressing over those January bills.

30+ Tips & Ideas to save money at Christmas

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on something and purchase it, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission. Read more about this in our Disclosure Policy.

Tips to Save Money at Christmas Time

Here’s my disclaimer – some of these money-saving tips will be tried & true; which means they work and should be mentioned to remind us of them.

Other tips might be super specific or quirky, but they have all saved me tons of money during past holidays.

So grab a cup of hot cocoa, turn on a Hallmark Christmas movie, & start reading about all the ways you can save money this Christmas.

Save money by using friends & family as resources

Nope, I’m not suggesting you ask your family and friends for extra holiday cash!

I am saying you should check in with them to possibly save money at Christmas this year.

Need more clarification? Keep reading to see what I am talking about.

1. Ask friends and family for gently used large items

Does your daughter want a kitchen set for Christmas? Or maybe your child has their eye on those huge Hotwheels Tracks all over the TV?

Put up a post on Facebook asking if any of your friends or family is looking to sell large items such as these.

Most likely someone has a child who has outgrown these items and they would love to repurpose them before the holidays.

I currently have both of these just hanging out in my basement!

Bonus – that kitchen set will already be put together too!

2. Have a “Deals Alert” Buddy

Every year my mom and I keep an eye on prices and sales for certain items that we both have on our lists.

We are watching for them to hit rock-bottom prices so we can save the most money.

This year we are watching Instant Pots & AirFryers. Having someone else keeping an eye out for sales will help you snag them when they pop up.

3. Possibly stop doing “Adult Gifts”

I will admit, when my sister-in-law first suggested this I was kind of sad. But looking back, it made a ton of sense.

We have so many kids to buy for and our adult gifts were becoming pretty generic: candles, scarves, etc. It just made sense financially.

If this idea seems completely “Grinch-like”, you could always do a gift exchange where you only buy for one person.

Other ideas to save a little, but keep doing gifts could be setting a $5/$10 limit, or requiring it to be a homemade gift.

Save money on Christmas Gifts with Deals & Experiences

Beyond the decorations, big meals, school extras, and fancy outfits, gifts are the biggest cost for my family at Christmas.

Here are several tips for saving money on all those gifts you have on your Christmas list.

4. Gift Experiences

While this can be a slippery slope (because some experiences can be more expensive than gifts) it is a frugal way to save, if done correctly.

Offer to have a cousin’s sleepover with popcorn and movies. Give your mother-in-law a family game night coupon. Look for experiences that can create great memories, but stay easy on the budget.

5. Use Ebates (now called Rakuten)

You’ve probably heard about Ebates for years now. They recently went through a change and are now called Rakuten.

This is an effortless way to earn cashback on purchases you were already going to be making. You simply click through the Rakuten website to the store you are planning on shopping at and they automatically give you a set percentage back. It is that easy.

Kohl’s is the store I typically earn the most back from during the Christmas season. Sometimes as much as 10% back around the holidays! Guess what I do with that money when my check from Rakuten arrives? I save it for next Christmas!

If you don’t have Rakuten, you can use our affiliate sign-up link here.

6. Check out Facebook Sellers Groups for your Community

Again, this is another great method for saving on large items, especially toys. It’s also a great place to sell large items to make extra cash for Christmas.

7. Follow Deals Sites on FB, Twitter, Email Lists

Find a Deals Site or Facebook Group to follow to keep up to date on great deals at Christmas Time.

8. Search for the best “Christmas Experience” Deals

Instead of paying for the expensive Mall Santa, look for a free Santa experience in your town. Around our area, several banks host Santa, as well as a few grocery stores & churches.

Also, keep an eye out for discount days at Christmas Light Parks or Winter Carriage Ride venues. Several places will have “family days” which can mean lower entry fees. Or they will allow you to use your phone or camera for pictures instead of paying. Some may even offer free entry with a canned food donation.

9. Make your DIY Gifts

You don’t need to think of crochet potholders and fruit cakes when you hear DIY gifts. There are tons of easy DIY gift ideas that will make for memorable, homemade gifts.

Head on over to our Gifts Board on Pinterest and you will find several such ideas.

10. Look into Shutterfly Coupon Codes

If the idea of making your DIY gifts isn’t your jam, here’s another option: use free Shutterfly codes to make your gifts!

Shutterfly emails out pretty much every weekend with free codes for various products. Shipping and handling vary, but it’s still an inexpensive way to make personalized gifts and stocking stuffers.

I’ve made free calendars for my mom, notepads for teachers, coffee mugs for grandparents, key chains for my husband, address labels for stocking stuffers, and so much more.

If you aren’t already, sign up for Shutterfly emails or follow them on Facebook. Other places that email out free Shutterfly codes are Pampers Rewards, Kellogg’s Rewards, and also occasionally a flyer in your Kohl’s bills.

11. Use Store Coupon Codes; As many as you can!

Before you purchase anything online, absolutely anything, check for coupon codes! How do you do this? Do a Google search for “Kohl’s coupon codes” and they will pop up, I promise.

Bonus – did you know that some stores allow you to use more than one coupon code? For example, currently, at Kohl’s, you can use a percent-off coupon; a dollar-off coupon; and a free shipping coupon code.

Saving money on Christmas Cards

Want to know a funny little tidbit about me? I have saved every Christmas card I have ever received since my husband and I were married. I read them every year when we are putting up our Christmas decorations.

So if you love Christmas cards as much as I do, not doing them is a hard pill to swallow. But they can be so expensive!

That’s where these frugal Christmas card ideas can help you save money at Christmas.

12. Purchase boxed Christmas Cards

These are the cards that our Moms sent out for many years! My mom still sends them out and the idealistic Christmas scenes on them remind me of Christmas past.

If you want to go a step further, attach a printed picture on the inside and you have a picture card at a great price! I’ve seen boxed sets at the Dollar Tree, in the Target Dollar Spot, and at many other dollar stores.

13. Make your own Christmas Picture Cards

Purchase some cardstock, maybe a few Christmas stickers or scrapbook paper and make your cards. You can find envelopes at great prices online too.

Even better… have your kids make the Christmas cards! It will be a fun activity for them and a neat surprise for those receiving them.

14. Skip the Christmas Cards…

The easiest way to save money on Christmas Cards is to simply not do them! Post a picture on your social media accounts wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas” and you’ve spent zero dollars.

Saving money while using Amazon

There are so many reasons people use Amazon: the 2-day shipping; the ability to not step foot in stores during the Holidays; the great deals; and the selection to name just a few.

Here are a few tricks for saving money on Amazon, not only during the holidays but year-round.

15. Try my Amazon Cart Stalk

This is my favorite way to keep track of the deals on the items I am watching for gifts. How does it work?

Simply add the item you are watching into your Amazon cart.

Then click the “save for later” button.

This will move the item to the bottom in a “saved” section. Now, when you have a few minutes during the day you can check your Amazon app easily for the prices of all the items you have on the watch list.

When you click on your cart, it will even have a banner at the top alerting you to price changes of the items you have “saved for later”.

Sometimes the price has gone up; sometimes it has gone down! Know what you are willing to pay for an item and when it hits that price you’ll be able to easily find it and add it to your cart. Checkout. Done.

16. Pay attention to Daily Deals, Early Black Friday Deals, Black Friday Deals, & Cyber Monday

Yes, that is a lot to be aware of during the holidays. However, spending a few minutes every morning instead of perusing social media, could save you hundreds!

Amazon has sales all day – every day. So it doesn’t hurt to skim through them and check to see if any of them are deals on items from your list.

During Black Friday deals they also offer an “alert” for when deals you are watching are about to go live.

10+ Unique Ways to Save Money at Christmas

17. Buy Amazon Gift Cards during the year

If you don’t have a set Christmas Savings Plan, one easy thing you could do is purchase Amazon Gift Cards throughout the year to use at Christmas time. That way when those awesome deals pop up; you have your gift cards ready to go to purchase them.

18. The Amazon Credit Card – A Slippery Slope

If you don’t do credit cards, then skip over this one. If you do feel like you have control of your credit card usage & payments, consider the Amazon Credit Card. It lets you earn money back on purchases that you can then use on Amazon itself.

We store these “credits” until the Holidays and then use them for Christmas purchases. It can be hard in July to not use that credit for something but waiting until December is worth it when you can order gifts with your credits.

If you are going to be ordering from Amazon throughout the year anyway, it’s an easy way to save for Christmas.

19. Opt-out of Quick Shipping

Occasionally when you check out on Amazon, there will be an option to choose slower shipping with a financial perk. This could be $1 off a digital item; money towards Prime Pantry shipping; and recently it was $5 off a hard copy book!

So check the shipping options if you don’t need your order right away.

Save money for Christmas at the Dollar Tree

If you have been reading Productive Pete articles for a while, you know I have a deep love of Dollar Tree. If you don’t have one close by, most of these tips will work for any discount-type store.

20. Look for Elf on the Shelf Products

Yes, you can find Elf on the Shelf products at Dollar Stores! Last year I found multi-colored pens, stickers, and stationery sets! (I just found Elf on the Shelf in the front section at Target too!)

21. Save on Wrapping Paper

There are typically tons of wrapping paper rolls with licensed characters such as Spiderman, Mickey Mouse & Disney Princesses to name a few.

A word of advice, this paper is super thin so it doesn’t travel too well, especially if you have it wrapped around something odd-shaped.

However, if it is going from your closet to under the tree you should be just fine. If you are hoping to truly save money at Christmas – thin wrapping paper is a good sacrifice.

22. Save on Wrapping Paper

If you’ve tried the wrapping paper and weren’t impressed, then try the brown butcher paper rolls. These rolls have a ton of paper on them and can make for a beautiful, simplistic wrapped gift.

If you want to decorate them a bit, try attaching a sprig from one of the Christmas flowers they sell.

23. Save money & time and check out their Christmas Bags

Yes, they have cute Christmas bags! Skip buying wrapping paper & tape and use gift bags instead. You can find tissue paper for those bags in the store too.

24. Check out their ribbon selection

Ribbons are perfect for using on presents, making wreaths, and attaching to items in your home to make them easily (& frugally) more festive. These rolls do seem to have less than rolls purchased in other places, so check the lengths and plan accordingly when purchasing.

25. Decorate your tree at the Dollar… Tree

They have so many ornaments, tree toppers, snowflakes, tinsel, and bows perfect for your tree. Skip the craft store prices and decorate your tree for so much less.

Saving Money on Christmas food & sweets

Christmas Cookies. Pies. Yummy soft bread. Not to mention the ham and turkey, and sides of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole. It all sounds so yummy, but it also costs money.

Here are a few ways to save money on all that yummy deliciousness during the Holidays this year.

26. Create a Christmas Menu and STICK TO IT

You guys, I’m horrible at this. I know I am to bring an appetizer to this gathering; cookies to the school party; and a salad to a Christmas Girl’s Night gathering.

But… I walk in the door with my “required” item and something else I just had to try to make. So if you are truly trying to save money this Christmas, don’t go overboard on the food. Bring what is your fair share and resist doing more.

27. Start Shopping early for supplies

If you know what you are bringing to your Christmas parties; make a list of the ingredients you need and keep it somewhere handy – your wallet, phone, etc.

For example, I am in charge of the almond bark pretzels at my in-laws every year. Pretzels and almond bark have a long enough shelf life I can purchase them early and know they won’t spoil.

When you are shopping in November go ahead and grab a few of the items each shopping trip. By the time December rolls around you will have spread out the added expense over several weeks.

It’s not technically saving you money, but it does spread out that huge Christmas grocery bill right before the parties and family get-togethers begin.

Another idea is that you can use your list to check for sales on the ingredients you need while shopping. This week I was able to grab those pretzels I make every Christmas for a third of their normal price. Yes, I’ll be storing them for a month, but I saved $10!

Saving money on this & that

Just a few more tips and ideas to help you save money at Christmas… because every little bit helps!

28. Stay Organized this Christmas

I know staying organized isn’t an obvious way to save money at Christmas. But keeping lists (like Santa Claus himself) will help you avoid last-minute desperate purchases.

Forgetting a gift means you will be running to the store and purchasing the first thing you can find; not watching for deals the entire month before.

Realizing your son’s dress shirt for his Christmas Concert doesn’t fit the night before, which means you will be forced to pay the price they are asking.

So make a list of all your Christmas to-do’s and keep it updated to not only save money but keep your sanity too.

29. Ignore the desire to “Make up the Difference”

Simply put – if you find something on sale – that doesn’t mean you need to “make up the difference” of what you saved. Congratulate yourself on finding that gift at such a great price and don’t worry about spending X amount of dollars to make it “even”.

This is a slippery slope because then you purchase two gifts for someone. Then you realize the other person only has one gift to open and you think of buying them another to make it “even”.

See how our minds work and can cause us to spend even more money than what we had planned?!

30. Keep Track of Your Spending

This sounds easy enough, but keep track of ALL your Christmas spending. Everything from teacher gifts, decorations, clothes, cards, gift wrap, and extra food to name a few.

Seeing how much you spend will help you keep it in check. It will also help you budget for the next year.

31. Don’t buy for yourself

Yes, that hurt even writing it. But it’s an easy way to save this Christmas.

There are two schools of thought on this. First, don’t purchase items simply because they are on sale. Meaning, if you have a working crockpot, don’t splurge and buy the newest model because it’s “on sale this time of year”.

The second school of thought is that this is a great time to save money on items you truly need. So therein lies the crux of this situation – do you need it or simply want it? If you have been wanting an air fryer, you don’t own one, then this is a great time to purchase one at a deep discount.

But if saving money is truly the goal of your Christmas spending – you’ll have to make sure this purchase fits your budget and is truly something you need and not just want.

32. Stick to your Budget

Yes, I saved the least fun idea for last. Create a budget using your previous year’s spending amount and stick to it.

Keep the motivation by thinking about how good it will feel in January to not receive those massive Christmas bills. You could even have a reward in mind if you do keep to the budget such as a date night, a trip to the movies, etc.

So there we go! All the tried and true; as well as some fun new ideas to save money at Christmas this year! Make sure you check out some of our Christmas posts before you go.

We have a free printable Elf on the Shelf Planning Calendar, as well as an Elf Survival Plan.

Also, if you don’t mind, hit the share button and help us get these money-saving tips out to even more people.

Merry Christmas!

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A Unique Gift Guide of Football Gifts for Kids

Have a football fanatic in your home? Then check out these unique Football Gifts for Kids. Everything from toys to games, collectibles, apparel, and much more!

One of my favorite ways to figure out great gift ideas is to pick someone’s interest and research it relentlessly for unique gifts.

Every year my boys become enthralled watching football at our local high school, college, and the NFL on TV too.

That’s how this list of unique football gifts for kids came to exist. Years of searching and digging deep to find fun gifts that my boys would love to open up!

Of course, these aren’t just football gifts for boys. These ideas will work great for the girl on your list who is a big football fan too.

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Toy Football Gifts for Boys & Girls

Would it be a gift list for kids if we didn’t start with toys? This first item in this gift guide has been a favorite toy in our house for many years.

Kaskey Football Guys

These Kaskey Football Guys are one of the most open-ended football toys I have ever found.

The sets have two different colored teams, two goal-posts, one referee, and a felt mat that lays flat once you’ve straightened it.

The best part is that the figures stand up. You can set up an entire game on the mat without becoming frustrated that all the players keep falling over – that’s a win!

They have a few color options so you can hopefully find one similar to your child’s favorite team. They have:

Red Vs. Blue

Navy Vs. Light Blue

Green Vs. Black

They have other sports sets as well, so if you want similar gifts for kids with different sports interests, these work well!

They have soccer, baseball, basketball & hockey sets available. Click here to see the Kasey Line.

BRXLZ Building Toys

Next are these BRXLZ football-themed building toys. These brick-building sets are available for many NFL teams as players, helmets, and logos.

Football Gifts for Kids: Games

There are tons of great football-related games available. Like this NFL League Spot It Game. It’s just like the other Spot It games but with that NFL touch!

Other fun football games include:

NFL Shake N’ Score Travel Dice Game

NFL Matching Game

Electronic Retro Handheld Football Game

Football Gifts: Collectibles & Collections

Collectibles are great for older kids and let’s be honest, even for adults! My all-time favorites are the Funko Pop Football Collectible Figures. There are tons of football players available.

Other collectible football ideas include:

NFL Helmet Stickers/Decals

NFL Mini Plastic Helmets

Mini Pennants NFL Collector Set

Football Gifts for Kids: Books

I’ll just say it – books make amazing gifts! I know kids don’t always put them at the top of their list, but books themed around their favorite interests are going to capture their attention more than any other.

That’s why a fun football book is a great idea for the pigskin-tossing kiddo in your life. This 1st & 10: Top 10 Lists of Everything Football is a great book, that my boys love!

Here are a few other football book options:

The Everything Kids’ Football Book

Sports Illustrated Football’s Greatest

Goodnight Football – Sports Illustrated Kids Bedtime Book

Football with Dad – illustrated book

Another fun option is this What is the Super Bowl book. If you haven’t heard of the “What was…” or “Who was…” series of books you need to check them out.

These are smaller chapter books, geared for a first to third-grade reading level. They cover all types of historical events, people, natural disasters, and more.

With their bobblehead-like cover illustration, they capture kids’ attention, and the history lessons inside are easy for kids to understand as well. Check them all out here.

Apparel Football Gifts

One of the best parts about rooting for your favorite football team is wearing the fan gear! T-shirts and jerseys are classic gifts, but you can’t go wrong with an entire uniform.. including the helmet!

Of course, there are tons of other options out there that aren’t full-on outfits. Here are a few of my favorites:

Winter Hats

Football Receiver Gloves

Team Logo Wristbands

Youth Hoodies

NFL Socks

Backyard Fun Gift Ideas

Odds are if they love to watch football, they love playing it in the backyard too. These fun football gifts will have them outside playing in no time.

Like this Franklin Sports NFL Youth Flag Football Set that has tons of team options. Or if you aren’t into the NFL, there is this SKLZ Delux Flag Football Set too.

Other fun backyard football gift ideas include:

Nerf Sports Dude Perfect Smash Football Set

Franklin Sports Youth Football Goal Post Set

Nerf Sports Dude Perfect Vortex Football Game

Light Up LED Football

Unique Football Gifts

A few fun football gifts that are too unique to fit into the above categories. Like this Football Pop Socket.

Other fun football gifts include:

NFL Gradient Drawstring Backpack

Luke 1:37 Football Necklace

Football Bracelet

NFL Team Map 500 Puzzle

Personalized Football Print

So there you go! Hopefully, you have found an amazing present from the list. We have Soccer Gift Ideas for Kids too if you also have a soccer fan on your shopping list!

Did you know here at Productive Pete we create all kinds of fun printables for kids, plus tips & hacks to help Moms be more productive?

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