Lace dresses, black top hats, Christmas caroling, evergreen boughs, homespun fancy work for gifts, story telling by candlelight, perhaps a game of charades. All of these things are CHEAP!

Let’s do the Victorian breakdown:

• Lace dresses — 25¢ to $5 at garage sales and thrift stores
• Black top hats — Tricky one, but do-able. I found a magic hat at the local thrift store and bought it to put on a snow man, but how easy is it to make one out of construction paper! I’ll allow $1 to $5 for that one.
• Christmas caroling — FREE
• Evergreen bough — FREE; Be sure to ask your neighbor’s permission first!
• Homespun fancy work — I picked up cross stitch kits all summer long to keep me busy this winter, my girls will be fighting over that candlewick pillow! 25¢ to $5
• Story telling by candlelight — I hope you picked up the apple and fall candles at your local Dollar General when they went to 90% off. (I tweeted about it! TWGranE) $1, at the most!
• Game of charades — FREE. Granted a couple of glasses of egg nog would get the party started with the caroling, story telling and charades, so I’ll allow an extra $10 to make it extra spicy.

There you go. An authentic Victorian Christmas full of mirth, family fun and good scents (and cents, and even sense) for $26!

More on Victorian decorations:

GREENERY

Many Victorians could not afford to spend money on decorations. They made their decorations primarily from greenery adorned with ribbons and dried flowers. They signified good luck and the renewal of life, and they warded off evil spirits.

DOUGH ORNAMENTS

3 c. flour
3/4 c. salt
3/4 tsp powdered alum
1 1/4 c water
Bake and set for 24 hrs.

PINE CONE TREES

Glue pine cones to stiff cardboard or inside a decorated shoe box lying on its side. Adorn with small beads, cranberries, glitter — whatever is in your never ending craft drawer!

As I was saving my couch and prying out the wedged bag, I came to an impasse: Do I THROW AWAY food or do I roll it closed and stuff it in the bread box to be thrown away two weeks from now?

Now, I hope you agree that there is something wrong with throwing away food, and I’m sure you know that popcorn grows stale after about five minutes.

Then, I had one of my BRILLIANT ideas! How fun would it be to string it! I was startled to find out my youngest had no idea what I was talking about and had, in fact, had that “mom-I-think-you-have-finally-gone-over-the-deep-end” look on her face.

This made me wonder what other traditions, Christmas or otherwise, that I have assumed my children knew just because they were parts of my memories.
Guess what parents? YOU are in charge of making your children’s memories. The bonus here is that these simple moments are the memories that last.

Tips for stringing the popcorn:

1. Keep the thread on the spool. That way you can make your garland as long as possible.
2. Thread, dental floss and fishing line all work.
3. Let the popcorn sit out for a while. It is less likely to break if it is stale.
4. After the holidays, put the garland outside for the birds.