Wintertime has become veritable breeding ground for debt.
Not only are we under constant pressure to finance all the usual trappings of the season –– gifts, travel, and parties –– with credit, but there's always a constant stream of friends and relatives to entertain as well.
The good news there are still ways to get in the holiday spirit that don't mean starting off the New Year in the red.
We've rounded up a list of fun freebies that'll bring you closer to friends and family without breaking the bank.
Make your own festival of lights
If you can't make it to these ten cities for the best holiday light shows, look no further than your own front yard.
Host a "lighting ceremony" with your friends and family at home, then pile into the car to check out your neighbors' handiwork. Use last year's lights or borrow extras from family or friends.
The suburbs are known for friendly holiday decoration wars, with frosted yards filled with more LED-lit reindeer and blow-up Santas than you can shake a peppermint stick at.
If you really want a show, hit up the wealthiest 'hoods in your town. If homeowners are crazy enough to enlist professional decorators to deck their halls for $1,500, why let all their hard-spent cash go to waste?
Play your own winter games
If you're lucky enough to live in snow-friendly parts of the U.S., grab your gloves and a couple of able-bodied friends for some good old fashioned snow games.
Find a good hill for sledding or hit the lake for ice fishing.
For those in warmer climates, ice rinks often offer free admission as long as you bring your own skates.
Host a film festival at home
Movie tickets can cost up to $15 a pop these days, but your home is far cozier, comes with your own parking spot and – the best part – all the snacks are free.
Try hosting a film festival from your living room. These days, you can stream Netflix and Hulu straight to your TV or, if you've cut cable, invite friends to bring their own flicks.
Pop popcorn, make hot chocolate and curl up next to people you know, rather than rows of gibbering strangers.
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