[ourdreamcametru]

Okay, my family is very small, just my Mom and Step-dad and one step sister and her husband and two kids outside of me, DH and our three kids. Usually my Mom and I take turns having dinner at our houses and opening gifts on Christmas Day. It's my year and I am ready to do something different but don't want to spend much money because DH is having to take an unpaid week of vacation Christmas week because of a work slow down. Anybody got any ideas??????????

[052001]

Could you ask your family members to each bring a dish? Or maybe just a dessert?

To keep the cost of gifts down, how about exchanging names instead of giving gifts to everyone?

[Nevada Jen]

Make it a brunch instead of a dinner. THat will save you tons of money. Start looking around now for the cheapest ham if you insist on having ham. Ham prices vary hugely. Also keep an eye out for sales, you may be able to get a primerib (which I consider fancier than ham) for dirt cheap if you have room to freeze it until Christmas. I don't know if you have one there but Fresh and Easy has huge meat sales every week. Just keep watching until they have a fancy meat on sale.

[loveajax]

I like the brunch idea as well.

If you decide on a later meal, do you have Costcos or BJs around you? Honestly, you can get delicious lasagnas there that would feed that amount of people very reasonably. Throw together a tomato sauce, a couple loaves of garlic gread and a big salad and everyone should be happy!!

[startedover]

We do breakfast (at lunch time) . we also have others bring dishes. Just this year we are going to be not exchange gifts except the young ones. Here are some things I have done in the past to SPICE things up.
I went to the dollar tree and got enough gifts for each kid (but you could do adults) Then wrapped each one in tissue (or wrapping paper). Then read a story like Twas the night before Christmas and with everyone sitting in a circle with a gift you read and each time you say the world "the" everyone passes the gift to the left. When your done reading, you get the present that is in your hands. Might be funner with adults no wrapping. lol Then there is hid the picke (something about a scanver hunt and a pickle.. may have to research it.