How to be more frugal during the holiday season

Hey, just a random guy from the internet. I hosted my family for Christmas in 2007 and didn't have the money to blow, so I thought of a few ways to save money. Here's my tips:<br><br>I went to Costco and bought a few bottles of wine to be served. It was only 6 bucks a bottle and tastes great!<br><br>For the feast, we started with a cheese and crackers platter. Costco cheese is just as good as the expensive stuff for half the price.<br><br>I made a black bean soup that my family still wants to this day. It's not expensive, but you get a lot of bang for your buck with a hearty pot of soup. I've learned a 1 bean can, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk (sauteed), and a few cups of chicken broth will make a killer soup.<br><br>The entree was just some frozen ravioli. It was very good. I bought a frozen prime rib once, and the flavor was second to none, and it was very frugal.<br><br>I bought a ton of frozen vegetables and made a few different dishes. Nothing beats a steaming bowl of fresh veggies.<br><br>In between the entree and dessert, we played some Christmas carols. I put together a nice photo album of my wife and I's travels the last few years. She had never seen any of the pictures, and my parents hadn't either. It was a great idea because we got to share our adventures while also taking in our recent history. Nothing beats a personal touch, and they still bring it up to this day.<br><br>My mom brought the desert. I was going to make a few pies, but she offered to bring her famous apple pie. It goes to show if you give your guests an opportunity to contribute, they may just surprise you!<br><br>I bought some coffee and tea to allow us to have some morning drinks. I also made a pot of hot cocoa to cap off the night. It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy the holiday.<br><br>I put some Christmas music on in the background and we just talked and enjoyed each other's company. We had a great time, and I don't think we spent more than $70, so it was a very frugal and fun holiday.<br><br>Good luck!