25+ Christmas Hacks That Will Save You Money This Season

What You’ll Need: Graham crackers, frosting, candies 
Est. Cost: $10 to make*

Making gingerbread houses is something that has been associated with Christmas since 1500s Germany when these cookie houses would be decorated with gold leaf and foil. The houses particularly became popular after Hansel and Gretel was released in 1812 (odd, since that tale wasn’t too Christmassy).

Make Mini-Gingerbread Houses With Graham Crackers @bhg/Pinterest

Now, we make gingerbread houses each year around the holidays. If you have graham crackers and frosting, you can make your own house without buying a kit. Plus, the crackers are lightweight, so they may be easier to turn into a house that won’t fall apart at the slightest breeze.

What You’ll Need: Cheerios, frosting, sprinkles 
Est. Cost: $3-$6 per box*

This fun craft is great if you have an Elf on the Shelf, or if your kids want to leave some treats out for not just Santa, but also his elves, on Christmas Eve night. You can make tiny “elf cookies” using Cheerios, frosting, and sprinkles.

Cheerios Can Double As Elf Cookies @buzzfeed/Pinterest

Take the Cheerios and frost each piece individually, sprinkling some red and green jimmies on top as the finishing touch. These miniature cookies are smaller than the ones St. Nick gets, but they’re just as festive and fun. 

What You’ll Need: Photos, tape or glue
Est. Cost: $5*

Rather than pick up a pack of gift labels from the store, why not do something unique when labeling your gifts? Designate who is who using photos. Just attach the photos to the present with a bit of craft glue or tape.

Label Gifts With Photos @bhg/Pinterest

When handing out gifts, just look at the Polaroid and hand it to the right person. This isn’t just unique; it’s also a fun way to show people photos of themselves that they might not have seen before. 

What You’ll Need: Wire/string, clothespins, family photos 
Est. Cost: $10-$20 to make*

Garland have been around since ancient times, when Egyptians would place garlands of flowers on mummies to celebrate them entering the afterlife. The Greeks decorated their temples with these decorative braids, too. Now, we associate garlands with Christmas tree decorating.

Make A Family Photo Garland @bhg/Pinterest

If you’re not into garlands of popcorn or cranberries, you can make a family photo garland. All you need are printed-out family photos, which you can clothespin onto a wire or string. This provides a personalized touch to your tree that will have everyone saying, “Awww.”  

What You’ll Need: Muffin tin(s), scissors, glue, paper, gifts/sweets 
Est. Cost: $15-$25 to make*

This fun idea is easy to make, and it’s perfect for crafty people who don’t want to go out and buy yet another commercialized Advent calendar. You can make your calendar using a muffin tin, round pieces of paper, and, of course, the sweets and tiny gifts inside.

We Love This Advent Calendar Muffin Tin @bhg/Pinterest

Use the muffin’s tins as the calendar’s openings. You might need more than one muffin tin to equal twenty-five days, just an FYI. If there is cookware you’re not using and don’t plan to use, this is a great way to make it useful around the holidays.    

What You’ll Need: Unsalted butter 
Est. Cost: $4-$8* 

Of course, we couldn’t have a list of Christmas hacks without including tips on making Christmas cookies. These hacks work no matter whether you’re using Betty Crocker cake mix or starting from scratch.

Brown Your Butter When Making Christmas Cookies @sallysbakeblog/Pinterest

Brown your butter when making cookies, as this will provide texture, and flavor, and aid in leavening with its deeper, nuttier taste. Cut unsalted butter into equal pieces and cook it in a light-colored pan over medium heat. Let the butter bubble, ceasing cooking when it smells toasted (it shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes).

What You’ll Need: Ribbon, glue, twine 
Est. Cost: $5-$8 to make*

A lot of the hacks on this list, as you may have realized, are about reusing and “upcycling” things you already have into festive, Christmas decorations. For example, if you have old cookie cutters you’re not using, you can turn them into ornaments.

What To Do With Unused Cookie Cutters @bhg/Pinterest

All you need is ribbon and glue, as well as twine to hang the cookie-cutter-ornaments. Glue ribbon onto the cookie cutters to make them Christmas-themed, and then hang them with the twine from your tree. FYI, this hack can work for any holiday, so long as you have themed cookie cutters to upcycle.

What You’ll Need: Popsicle sticks, craft paint, glue 
Est. Cost: $5-$10 to make*

This tree topper is cheaper to make than to buy, and you can make it using times you can find at the dollar store. This is a fun activity to do with kids, and it makes for a perfect tree topper. You’ll need Popsicle sticks, glue, and craft paint.      

Make A Popsicle Stick Tree Topper @bhg/Pinterest

Paint your Popsicle sticks the color of your choice. Allow the paint to dry, and then glue them together in the shape of a star (how complex you want to get is up to you). If you want to be extra festive, you can add glitter or rhinestones to your painted sticks for an added shine.

What You’ll Need: Elf on the Shelf 
Est. Cost: $30 on Amazon*

In 2005, The Elf on the Shelf came out as a book for kids, written by Carol Aebersold and Bell Chanda. Since then, the Elf on the Shelf has taken off, and now it is a toy, game, and all-around sensation. Elf on the Shelf is a lot of fun, particularly if you have kids.

Invest In An Elf On The Shelf @decor4homes13/Pinterest

You can buy an Elf on the Shelf for $29.95 on Amazon. This Scout Elf can be moved from position to position each night, surveying the house so it can send reports to Santa during the Christmas season. The Elf comes with its own set of rules, and it’s a fun holiday tradition to start with young kids. 

What You’ll Need: Wide platter, frosting
Est. Cost: $10-$20*

When deciding how to display your Christmas cookies, you can always turn them into a Christmas cookie tree. This Jenga-like display is very festive, and you can make sure it stays stable by adding frosting to the cookies in the pile.

Build A Christmas Cookie Tree @bhg/Pinterest

Just make sure your guests know to take from the top, lest they cause a cookie avalanche. For this, you’ll need to make sure you have a wide platter for your cookie base, along with dabs of frosting to keep things in place.

What You’ll Need: Fir trimmings 
Est. Cost: $0*

There are a ton of things you can do with leftover tree trimmings that don’t involve throwing them into the garbage or woods. You can, for example, make a wreath from tree trimmings, a process you can find on sites like Real Homes.

Use Fir Trimmings As A Wreath @bhg/Pinterest

There are many YouTube tutorials that will show you how to make your tree trimmings into a wreath. They’re easy to follow, and you shouldn’t need too many materials. When you’re done with the wreath and trimmings, you can use the pine needles as mulch.

What You’ll Need: Mini candy canes, hot glue  
Est. Cost: $10-$15*

Miniature candy canes are a dime a dozen around the holidays, as candy canes originate in the 1670s (or so the folklore goes). Over the centuries, these candy canes have become synonymous with Christmas, so much so that you don’t really see them during any other holiday.

Design Candy Cane Placecards @buzzfeed/Pinterest

You can turn miniature candy canes into festive placeholders for your Christmas party, all by using hot glue and a trio of these sweets. Glue the three together like in the photo, letting the placeholder dry completely before using it.

What You’ll Need: Empty Pringles cans, ribbon, paint, glue, paper  
Est. Cost: $5-$10 to make*

If you have old Pringles cans that you don’t know what to do with, this is a great way to upcycle them for Christmas. First, you’ll want to clean out the cans thoroughly, removing any trace of savory flavoring.

Pringles Cans Can Hold Cookies, Too @buzzfeed/Pinterest

After that, you can turn them into a cookie container, perfect for giving away Christmas cookies. All it takes is some wrapping paper and glue or paint to mask the Pringles-themed outside, and don’t forget the bow or ribbon on top as the final touch.

What You’ll Need: Large-size mug 
Est. Cost: $4-$8 per mug*

When you’re an adult, the magic of Christmas doesn’t go away, necessarily, but it does shift a bit. You’re less excited for Santa and more excited to see your family and have time off of work (and to nip a few sips of eggnog, too).

Mugs Can Replace Stockings For Adults @countryliving/Pinterest

If you know some adults who drink coffee or tea in your family, consider replacing their stockings with something more practical, such as a mug. This large mug can be filled with candy, gift cards, and other small gifts, and the recipient will get more use out of it than a stocking.