Free is everyone’s favourite word, especially now with the cost of living so high and Christmas just three weeks away. My family and I have been trying to think of some fun things to do that will cost very little, or even better nothing.

The Christmas Market

I would be crazy not to mention the Christmas markets. They are absolutely beautiful and fun for all the family, I especially like the fact that it can cost as much or as little as works for you. There is so much to see and such a lovely festive spirit in the air that is a great way to spent an afternoon, enjoying the company, seeing all of the displays and soaking in all the joy around you. There are so many that run each year that you shouldn’t have to travel far to take advantage of your nearest one.

A Night Carolling

Clear your throat and have a sing song for Christmas. I’m a Londoner and if you’re local you can pop down to Trafalgar Square with friends or family and join in for the weekly carol singing, Starting on the 9th and running all the way up to Christmas eve.

There will be a huge tree which 40 singing groups will gather to sing around for an hour at a time. You can go along to watch if you don’t feel like joining in, and if you REALLY want to get involved you can sign your singing group up to perform on one of the days. Carol singing is becoming less common so it would really be a nice event to visit if you enjoy music and the Xmas spirit.

A Cosy Night In

This time of year its usually really cold out so as much as outdoor activities are a lot of fun I wanted to include some things to do in the warmth that won’t cost anything. Doing something as simple as everyone grabbing a blanket and having a Christmas movie night with friends or the family is a great way to spend a day. You can do marshmallow hot chocolates with the kids, everyone get in their jammies and have a Christmas movie marathon.

Or if you fancy a girls night you can do movies, a gift exchange, a few drinks and have everyone bring some xmas themed foods. There are so many great ways to have a themed get together and creating amazing memories without spending any money.

A Pantomime at home

Christmas is a time of year when we enjoy spending time with family so it’s nice to have an excuse to gather everyone around at home, it doesn’t cost anything and you can make it as big as you like. A nice way to do it would be to put on a pantomime, decorate your home to set the scene, you can get the whole family involved or let the kids take charge but you can send out invitations (or texts) to the whole family to come round and watch the performance. You can cook a big meal or ask everyone to bring a little something from their house and have a bit of a mix and match dinner.

You can be Santa

What better way to enjoy the run up to Christmas than to make the rounds and hand deliver all your gifts. It’s an opportunity to spend time with a few different households. It’s a really nice way to spend some time with the people you may not see on the actual day and it’s so much more personal than sending them through the post especially if they don’t live too far away.

Whatever you decide to do in the run up to the big day, have fun, take pics and make memories. When you feel like everything costs a fortune remember all the important fun things won’t cost you anything.