Well I guess I could call our Christmas celebration frugal, if I couched it in terms of what we didn't do, like.....
"We didn't fly the entire family to Vegas and spend Christmas wantonly gambling away our savings."
OR
"We didn't hit the local Mercedes dealership and there was no new car with a big bow on top in my driveway on Christmas morning."
Yes, compared to those two scenarios, ours was a very frugal Christmas. 8-)
Here is the main offender to our frugal celebration.....
A standing rib roast.
And here is why I have never bought one of these before, in my entire 53 years on this planet....
I about fainted after I saw the price in the grocery store! lol
And THAT was the "on sale" price. Look above the yellow sticker part for the regular price for a 7lb hunk of this steer.....Geez!
It did look purty though, nekkid and going into the oven....
Unfortunately I don't have an "after" photo as I was too busy to snap a photo before serving it to my ravenous crowd......and there were no leftovers.
We almost had fist fights breaking out over second helpings.....
Now here are the Frugal Points to our Christmas Celebration.
1. We stayed home and cooked.
2. No relatives here that required anyone to fly cross country or drive further than 5 minutes away to get here. (Excepting #1 Son, who arrived on Sat. night, driving and he was in PA anyway.)
3. Other than the roast, we made our meal from items in the stockpile(except for a couple of cans of whipped cream and a bag of carrots).
4. Entertainment consisted of voyeurism like
Watching family members opening gifts.....
Tormenting the family dog......
Tormenting the children and spouse too by making them smile and pose for a photo.....
We had 5 desserts Christmas evening.....a cheesecake and Stollen from the Bakery Outlet, 2 kinds of pie and fudge(all made from scratch)
I made 11 pans of rolls, and I had 6 pans leftover when the clock struck midnight on Christmas night.
6. We give sensible gifts mostly. Though #2 Son's Christmas Wish list consisted of 1-a 2 thousand $ flute and 2-a $400 smartphone(which he can't afford to pay the plan for anyway), he received neither.
And he KNEW he wasn't getting them because this Santa mom doesn't roll that way.
We spend sensibly on children, even teenaged and almost grown ones.
When Hubs and I married, and thus marrying our vastly different Christmas traditions, gifts and spending were at opposite ends of the spectrum from what each other had experienced. His family, which struggled financially for many years, didn't lavish money/gifts on the kids. 1 present was their norm.
My family, which had struggled early on but grew to be upper middle class and had parents who enjoyed spending their wealth and going into debt, thought nothing of dropping serious money on kids at Christmas. In our family, there were many many gifts under the tree for each of us kids and usually 1 big(and expensive) present too.
So compared to Hubs parents, we are spendthrifts at Christmas, but compared to my parents, well, just call us Scrooge and a very Merry Hum-bug to you all. ;-)
We have a monetary limit for spending on gifts. I try to get deals to make the spending seem like it's more than it really is. I try not to buy mindlessly.....buying "things" just for the sake of buying stuff. If it's a "thing" I buy, it's a thing that was asked for or a thing that is needed. While I prefer to give services and consumables, it's very hard to do that with teens and almost adult children who don't live around here to buy services. Since 1 is 21 now, buying consumables for him at least, adds a whole new dimension.
With my crowd now, MONEY is the most popular gift. It always fits. lol
Now you will excuse me because I have $5 in +Up Rewards expiring today so I need to get up to Rite-Aid before the roads get any worse.
Yes, we are having a White Day-After Christmas here. 8-)
Merry Christmas!
Sluggy
You actually save enough each month with your frugal ways that you could afford to buy lots of expensive items. I am not suggesting that, of course. The dog does not look happy, just tolerant...lol. It has snowed all day, but none of the teeny, tiny snowflakes stuck.
ReplyDeleteYes, the dog puts up with alot from us but she is rewarded with good snacks. lol
DeleteIf you need snow, come on up and bring lots of tupperware to haul it home in!
I think you spend $0 on your shopping enough times all year that you could afford to buy the roast that costs as much as a coat.
ReplyDeleteWe got the whitestorm today, too. I thought of going to the store but was too much of a sissy.
Gawd....cost as much as a coat! That makes the price sound even worse!LOLOL
DeleteMore white stuff coming on Saturday.....gee, I can't wait.....ha!
Looks like a fabulous & fun holiday! Sounds like you guys are striking just the right balance. :-) And, holy rolls! That must be one heck of a recipe.
ReplyDeleteIt was a low key holiday, like most of ours are. I was glad my oldest could come home for it.
DeleteMy grandmother's sister, Lula, had 7 kids, so her recipe makes quite a large batch of rolls, enough to feed 9 people.
Cash is king with my kids too. But I am REALLY mean and saved their cash for their car insurance in my account! I gave them a note in a card. They are used to my tricks.
ReplyDeleteI should start using your tricks! I did hold back a piece of the last of #1 son's college funds and didn't tell him. He didn't notice either. He'll thank me after graduation when he can't afford an apt. security deposit and I give it to him. Moms are so devious, but in a good way. 8-))
DeleteThat roast looks sooo good! Yum!! Worth every penny I bet! :) Looks like you had a fabulous Christmas!
ReplyDeleteIt was nice and low key/low stress....just the way I like it.
DeleteAnd the hunk of meat WAS yummy! 8-)
It sounds like it was a wonderful Christmas at your home. Would you consider sharing the roll recipe? They look delicious!
ReplyDeletePrecious, I could share it but then I'd have to kill ya. It's a family secret thing.
DeleteBut go google the roll recipe for Logan Steak House....it's pretty close. ;-)
Was totally looking to the after-oven photos of that roast. I am always scared away of hams, just because of the price! Looks delicious though. Those rolls I'm sure went quick.
ReplyDeleteA ham would have been a cheap alternative to the roast. Unless it was a Smithfield salt-cured ham....lol
DeleteI still have rolls on Friday, only because my oldest left and my daughter is sick....but they WILL ALL get eaten. Trust me! lol
It looks like y'all had a wonderful Christmas. I would be scared to cook a hunk of meat that cost that much--what if I messed it up!! We do the same thing to our dogs---they don't look happy either!!! Hope y'all have a wonderful 2013!! Belated Merry Christmas to you and yours too!! Take care.
ReplyDeleteSheila, I used the Paula Deen foolproof recipe for the roast. Even my hubs could have cooked this correctly!lol
DeleteHere's hoping your 2013 is the best one ever!
I considered a roast too but just for the three of us, it would have been over twenty bucks. But I bet your meal was delicious and your dog didn't suffer too much....
ReplyDeleteThe dog probably enjoys the attention really....especially if she gets some meaty snacks afterwards.
DeleteGood gravy!!! That's a pricy roast! With my luck, I'd over cook it and someone would ask why I bought prison grade roast.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you guys had a great time!
Val, I'll post the recipe I followed....it can't be goofed up, seriously!
DeleteI could have bought the cheaper rib roast but I threw caution to the wind and bought the pricier per lb. one. What the heck!?!
It looks like your family had a wonderful Christmas! I am so glad!
ReplyDeleteNow I want some fudge....and rolls.
Of course you want fudge and rolls.....lol
DeleteI'm glad your DH is out and home now.