Your Official Budget-Friendly Winter Bucket List

While visions of sugar plums dance in our heads, we often forget that Christmas has a tendency to drain our wallets. From buying presents to taking time off, cooking for large groups and every little holiday activity in-between, we totally understand wanting to watch what you spend.

But spending less doesn’t necessarily mean doing less—it just means we need to get a little crafty with our wintertime activities!

That’s why we’ve put together this budget-friendly winter bucket list filled with ideas to actually enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank (or sacrificing fun!). Read our ten tips to have fun this Christmas while spending less.

10 Ways To Spend Less And Have Fun This Winter

1. Make a Gingerbread Dream House

No matter how old you are, building the ultimate gingerbread house doesn’t discriminate. Start yours from scratch using this awesome how-to recipe from BakedBree, or save some serious cash by purchasing this Gingerbread Mini House Kit from Target! Once your creation is complete, post it on social by tagging us @deckdhome. Easy, fun and budget-friendly!

2. Have a Movie Marathon

This one’s a no-brainer, especially if you already have Hulu or Netflix! Even if you don’t, there are plenty of places to pick up a classic Christmas film on the cheap. Here’s a list of the 55 Best Christmas Movies of All Time to get things started! Want to take your movie-binging to the next level? Ditch the expensive dinner—invite your friends over for a budget-friendly movie marathon. Cheers!

3. Spend the Day Baking Christmas Cookies

An excuse to eat ALL the sweets? Yes, please! Baking Christmas cookies is one of the best traditions out there. Better yet, bake them from scratch! Here are 50+ cookie recipes to browse (you’ll be drooling after you see those classic mint chocolate brownies). This is a super fun, budget-friendly activity that you can enjoy on your own, or with the little ones!

4. Take a Snow Hike

This one sounds a little chilly, but we promise you’ll love it. So put on all your winter gear, grab your mittens, snow boots, long underwear and heavy jackets—it’s time to go for a winter hike! Don’t worry if it’s cold at first, once you start walking, you’ll warm up in no time. The snowy silence and crisp air is incredibly blissful. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get some exercise from staying indoors all winter!

5. Take a Christmas Light Tour

Whether downtown, town hall, down the street, or your city’s zoo lights, look anywhere and you’re bound to see some Christmas lights! On a budget? No need to buy expensive tickets—just hop in the car and go for a ride through the neighborhood with the whole family. Want to stay inside? Check out this amazing video compilation of the best Christmas lights of 2017!

6. Create a Cozy Getaway at Home

That winter cabin you dream of doing every year? Do it at home! Thanks to the ever-popular trend of Hygge, creating the ultimate cozy space is just a few candles and blankets away. Read these 7 tips to Hygge your home to get things started. Think twinkling lights, scent-sational candles, chunky knit blankets, and so much more—all on a dime.

7. Make a Homemade Gift

Making a gift at home is a heartfelt, budget-friendly way to give back to those who mean the world to you. And no, you don’t have to glue pieces of construction paper together! Here are some homemade Christmas gift ideas that people will actually want. Plus, making your own gifts is a fun way to pass the time when it’s cold outside!

8. Make a Christmas Playlist

Ever sift through Christmas playlists on Spotify, only to find you’re skipping half the tunes? Make your own playlist instead! More often than not, you’ll bump into songs you haven’t heard in years that bring up all the nostalgic feels—add ‘em to your list, then play them while you’re working, cleaning, cooking, whatever! Trust us, it’ll make chores feel so much more enjoyable.

9. Create a New Tradition

Elf on a Shelf? Been there, done that! Try this instead: hide these Santa Babies on Christmas morning for your little ones to find! Or create a special breakfast for your family that’s uniquely yours. Creating new traditions like these are a great way to make the holidays feel even more meaningful while spending less.

10. Donate Toys or Volunteer

True, this list is all about stretching your wallet, but there are so many people out there who may not have much money to save in the first place—money that goes towards bills and groceries, with barely enough leftover for things like Christmas presents. This is a perfect, life-changing opportunity to donate toys or volunteer. VolunteerMatch is a great place to connect volunteers and nonprofits to achieve remarkable outcomes.

We hope you enjoyed our wallet-friendly list of winter activities. What’s your favorite bucket list item? Did we miss any? We’d love to know, so comment below!