Spending Time Together at Christmas

The holidays can be so hectic, and you can feel so pressured to buy buy buy everywhere you look. Get away from all the stress for awhile by having some family time for (almost) free. Take one evening and load everyone in the car, and drive all around a few neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights. You can even make it a weekly or even nightly activity, picking a different neighborhood each time. Take it one step further by picking favorites in various categories like best house, best neighborhood, best house in one color, etc.

Family adventures on a budget

If the warmer weather is inspiring you to get outside but your budget isn't allowing theme park trips, get creative and make your own adventures. Don't just drag your kids along a nature trail in the park, take the camera and search for exotic animals on a safari. Take a picnic with you and add an extra bag for collecting plants and flowers (if allowed) to press at home for lasting memories. Or go out at night to star gaze and imagine you're on a distant island, rather than just stepping out into your own front yard to look up at the sky. You'll probably have a better view in a park anyway.