Holiday Meal on a Budget

Preparing for Christmas dinner should be a fun, exciting time for everyone involved. 

It doesn’t have to cost a bundle to put a nice meal on the table for Christmas dinner.

Whether you’re cooking for 5 or 50 on Christmas day, hearts and bellies can both be filled on a small budget.
 
When shopping keep in mind how much you spend on that Christmas ham, roast, turkey, lamb or duck.  Actually, if you choose the cut of meat wisely, you can add an extra touch to the dinner table, with a nice platter of crackers and cheese or a tasty bottle of wine with what you save.  Make it into a banquet with a little frugal shopping and creativity.

Eating on a budget for holiday entertaining or daily family meals during the season just takes a little time, organization and changing the way you think. Begin by paying attention to how you spend money.  Do you enter the grocery store with a list or do you make a lot of random purchases? 

It can make a difference in how much you spend.
 
Begin now, keeping an eye on the cost of that main course you wish to have on the dinner table at Christmas.  How many will you be feeding? If it’s on sale, buy it now and freeze it.  When deciding between a roast or turkey, what will you have accompanying it?  How will the leftovers best be used in the following days?  Will there be any leftovers? 

All this is determined by your choice of main course.  If you purchase a nice large turkey, the leftovers could become sandwiches, or used in a delicious stew.  But if you opt for the more elegant duck or pheasant, while Christmas dinner will be scrumptious, it will be gone in one meal.  This could very well result in the need to tighten your budget even more by making it necessary to purchase additional meat for later on. 

Add a personal touch to the table by purchasing some new tableware.  This could be a joint gift for you and your spouse - and getting it early enables you to set a nice table for your guests and also allows you the chance to use them immediately. 

Centerpieces can be so easy to make.  Add some nuts and berries to a platter with a nice candle and you’ll have a wonderful table accent. 

Make your Christmas guests feel special by creating a place setting for everyone using personalized name tags or a small gift.  Grab construction paper or card stock with some glue and glitter and start writing those names.  Want to make it into a novelty gift, put some holiday candy into some tissue paper and attach the name tag-a special memento at a very affordable price.

End the Christmas celebration by gathering around the tree, telling family stories.  It will bring back good memories for the old and give a sense of belonging to the young, all the while spending quality time together for free.