Christmas is a hard time of the year for Veterans. Stress can make the holidays hard for everyone in the family. The first big stressor is that survival guilt hits home more during the holidays. The second big stressor is money. Trying to make the holiday special while not stressing about money and really enjoying the spirit of Christmas is what I am going to write about.
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We made traditions in our family that cost very little. But my kids and husband (disabled veteran) look forward to every year.
The first idea is to have a gingerbread house-building day. My family makes it a contest: who can build the coolest house (but that is because we are a very competitive family!) All you need for this is gram-crackers for the main building / structure, icing to hold it all together, and candy. Then everyone starts to build and have fun. I use cupcake pans to sort the candy. Everything can be bought at the dollar store. But your kids will remember this activity for years to come. It is one of my family's favorites. My personal favorite was when my husband made an outhouse. 😆
The second tradition is looking for lights around the neighborhood. We make hot chocolate and pile up in the car and hunt for lights.
The final tradition is reading Christmas stories together. This is free once you have collected a few books. The books have changed over the years. But we have a few that we pack with our Christmas decorations and read each year.
These are just a few free or cheap ideas that you can do with your family. I know for my husband having these traditions ground him and it gives him something to look forward to along with our kids. The best part is we never have to stress about if we can afford the activities each year.
Written by an Antonymous Veteran Caregiver and Heroes Thanking Heroes Representative
