Frugal family fun for the Holiday season is our last column in the Conscious Christmas series. Over the Holiday season there are so many things we can do to bring our families and friends closer together. That really is what the holidays mean to us.
We have some traditional things that we do every year. Light gazing is free (other than gas of course). We pile in the car with our hot cocoa and cider in thermos’s and fuzzy blankets and seek out the best light displays. Boy, do we have some good ones in this area. The fantastic thing is they usually tell you locations on the news.
We have baskets of our favorite Christmas books so they are easy to access for the kids and for story time. My favorite is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski. Light some candles, dim the lights, have hot cocoa and enjoy.
This year we are going to have a Christmas Memories Jar. At the dinner table we will pass a jar around that contains slips of paper. These contain questions like “what is your favorite Christmas morning story.” Or “What is the funniest thing you remember from a past Christmas morning.” The dinners before Christmas will be filled with memories, banter, and table discussion.
Another great resource in our community is the diversity in churches. Most of these have festivals and events leading up to the holiday. There is something for everyone, and most of these have no cost involved. Break out the board games with family and friends and have a match. Or better yet, if your kids are older like mine, have them design a game using game pieces from other games. They design the game, write the rules and all of you play. My kids can do this for hours and it is a wonderful boredom buster when they are not in school.
Go caroling! Ok I know, it sounds so old fashioned. But it is a blast. It doesn’t matter what you sing, or how well the kids love it. Find some elderly neighbors that need holiday cheer and enjoy. We like to enjoy while sharing cookies!
There are so many more activities…make cards with your kids, bake cookies, make ornaments and decorations, play in the park. Usually King’s Skate has coupons for the Winter break, cheap and good exercise. Check out the Sacramento Parents free magazine for a calendar of events for December there will be more to do than you can squeeze in.
Volunteer together as a family. Most of the area churches are providing meals for the hungry. Serve someone less fortunate than your family this holiday. Your family will appreciate everything more. Gather together and talk, listen to Holiday music and make blankets for Project Linus. Find a cause than inspires your family. The lessons you will learn are timeless. Jillian and I volunteer a lot, and it does become a part of your soul. We can’t imagine any other way. In addition to these ideas there are so many family events to check out.
Of course, the Rancho Cordova Community Tree Lighting is a FREE don’t miss event. It is on November 29th from 4:30-7:30pm. There are so many free activities for the kids, and venders and fun for the whole family.
Rancho Cordova has two Santa breakfasts worth checking out. We go every year. The first is Breakfast with Santa, put on as a fundraiser for the Cordova Park and Recreation Department and the Rancho Cordova Kiwanis. It is on December 5th from 8-10am at the Cordova Senior Center. This is a very popular event, and at only $5 tickets sell quickly so don’t wait. Breakfast is scrambled eggs, pancakes, fruit and a beverage. They usually have entertainment from the community and of course Santa!
The next Santa Breakfast is Applebee’s Breakfast with Santa. This event is December 12th from 8-10:30am. It is held at the Applebee’s in Gold River. This is a fundraiser for Cordova High Interact Club. This is a wonderful community service club. My family NEVER misses this. We see so many faces year after year that it is obviously a tradition with many families. Yummy food, great service provided by Cordova students and volunteer Applebee’s staff, a chance to visit with friends and neighbors, and pictures with Santa! My teens even humor me and get pictures taken. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children.
On December 5th and 6th from 12-4pm Santa will be in Hagan Park. The Santa Train will be running. For a donation you can ride the train, and get pictures taken with Santa and a train. We love this! This picture has been even used on a holiday card or two.
Senior Gleaners are a wonderfully frugal organization that makes the lives of so many people better. They have a group of women called the Cut Ups that make quilts, other quilted items like pot holders, and knitted and crocheted items. They are participating in Christkindlmarkt. This is a German Style Christmas Fair. It is on Saturday December 5th from 10:00am-6:00pm. They have free kids crafts at 2:00 and if desired a German meal is served from 2:00-6:00 the cost for dinner is $10. It is held at Town and Country Lutheran Church located at 4049 Marconi Ave in Sacramento.
What are some events you will be attending? Is your church or organization holding a special event? Post a comment and let us know. We have enjoyed bringing the Conscious Christmas series to you. It has meant so much to us to share our holiday traditions with you, and to learn about yours. We hope you join us tomorrow when we begin a series on saving money at the grocery store.
Until Monday,
Brandy and Jillian
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