How to Have a Minimalist Christmas

There is this notion that Christmas is synonymous with spending large sums of money. This makes people spend all their savings on things that have very little use which then puts them in a financial fix in the New Year. Fortunately, it is possible to have an enjoyable Christmas without spending fortunes. The following are a few pointers you should follow in your preparations.

1. The minimalist Christmas tree

You have to improvise when creating a minimalist tree. One way is by making one out of readily available materials. You can arrange bottles in layers so that they form concentric circles when viewed from above. You can then add other decorations like Christmas lights and homemade patterns to make it more beautiful.

Another way is by using a metal mold. This should be specially designed to look like a stripped tree so that you can add any decorations you might have. If you are skilled with metal work, you can build one yourself. Most people prefer to get the mold made; it is relatively cheap and it can be reused in subsequent Christmas holidays. Instead of buying expensive decorations, you can design a few using multicolored paper and lights. Doing the above will save you a lot of money and still give you the enjoyment that comes with having a well decorated Christmas tree.

2. The minimalist card

Instead of getting into the bandwagon of buying flashy Christmas cards that will be discarded on the 26th, you can either buy minimalist cards or design a few yourselves. If you decide to buy, you should use the internet to select the kind you want. It is very easy go get minimalist cards for families, individuals, children spouses etc. The best thing is that they cost very little and some are very well designed. You could also visit the local card shop to see if there are a few minimalist cards you can buy.

A better option is to design them yourself. This is because you can customize them to suite the recipient. For instance, you can have special messages for a spouse, your child’s card can have pictures of his favorite things etc. This is usually better because the sentiment attached causes recipients to hold on to them. Also, you will have fun designing them.

3. The minimalist gift

You should not get caught in the trap of who will spend the most money on gifts. There are many things you can do to keep the exchanging of gifts interesting and cheap at the same time. For instance, if you have a large family, you can make a system where one person buys a gift for one other person i.e. write all names of family members on pieces of paper and have everyone pick a name. Doing this will prevent everyone having to drain their savings on multiple gifts.

Another thing you could do is design gifts with sentimental value. For instance, you could create necklaces with customized pendants, t-shirts with meaningful graffiti etc. Minimalist gift ideas are only limited by the imagination.

In a nutshell, a minimalist Christmas can be fun and interesting without fortunes being spent or to much stress.