It’s been months since the last student loan and like it or not, the festive season is officially upon us, which means one thing: party time! With this in mind, Her Campus Nottingham have nine tips to make your Christmas the best ever, all with a student budget in mind. Whether you’re planning a mock-Christmas dinner with your housemates, a festive flat party or just want to make your house a bit more Christmassy, we believe that a bit of creativity and planning can make a little go a long way.
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Decorations! Arguably the easiest way to create a festive atmosphere in your house. Get arty and make paper snowflakes covered in glitter, put tea lights on every surface (you can buy a pack of 100 from Ikea for less than £2), and hang up candy canes. And if someone has some fairylights knocking about then that’s a sure-fire way to get the house feeling all cosy and Christmassy.
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Poundland! This place is your new best friend (in case you hadn’t already realised this from being a student). Sure, there’s plenty of tacky rubbish but you can leave with armfuls of Christmassy stuff all for about £4. And anyway, who doesn’t love a bit of Christmas tack?
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Beg, Borrow, Steal! Ok, so you’ve got the decorations sorted but if you’re planning a party before the end of term and are seriously lacking in the practical stuff then it’s time to turn to your trusty friends and neighbours. See if your neighbours have extra chairs or your friends down the road have a table you can borrow for the night. Allows for more people and more of the budget to spend on fun things (like food, see below).
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Food! Most student houses in Nottingham will be discussing and planning a house Christmas dinner. The thought of all that expensive turkey, mulled wine and the endless list of trimmings can make your eyes water a bit. A proper turkey is probably out of the question so think smaller: turkey breasts cost about £2 each but the best alternative is probably the humble chicken. Roasted with autumnal veg, garlic, and rosemary is easy and delicious. Forego fancy extras (who needs smoked salmon and canapés anyway) and focus on classics like pigs in blankets and stuffing, swap mulled wine for wine that’s on offer and between the house it should come to about a fiver. Bargain.
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Potluck! This is an idea borrowed from across the pond and is a cheap and fun way to have dinner with a bunch of friends. The concept is simple: everyone invited brings a different dish they’ve made and voila dinner for the whole group! Favourites include mac and cheese, potato salad, and cheesecake.
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Secret Santa! Easily one of the best parts of the holiday is giving someone you love something that makes them happy (and if you’re lucky bagging something awesome in the process). Secret Santa is fun, infinitely cheaper than buying all your friends gifts and saves valuable time meant for essay writing as you only have to think about one gift. Alternatives include Sick Santa, with the aim of buying the most ridiculous gift for a budget of about a couple of pounds.
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In keeping with the gift theme, wrapping paper and cards, whilst very pretty, can add up quickly. Using fashion magazines or newspapers as wrapping paper is chic AND free. Brown paper with red twine or ribbon is also a budget-friendly and cute option.
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Baking! Baking Christmas treats such as mince pies, chocolate truffles and gingerbread men make great gifts that are often way cheaper than supermarket alternatives. Baking also functions as the perfect procrastination tool. Raid Tesco for the cheapest baking ingredients and get going.
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Some of the best things in life are free. And this is all the more true when it comes to Christmas time. Cracking out the Wizzard, Mariah, and Wham is party gold and the easiest, cheapest way to get everyone in a festive mood. Party games are also a crowd-pleaser and makes the mingling of new people much easier. We love “Who Am I” (that sticky note on forehead guessing game), “Liar, Liar” (three facts about yourself told to the group, guests guess the two truths and one lie) and Christmas-themed charades.
Have a great one, from Her Campus Nottingham! xo
Edited by Caroline Chan