The big dinner is a big expense for many people, but can fit into holiday entertaining on a budget. Many grocery stores run excellent sales on traditional holiday foods around Thanksgiving, including turkey and all the fixings. The general estimate is to buy about a pound of turkey per person for a holiday feast, so looking for a good price can really make a difference. Some grocery stores offer turkeys or other holiday foods as a part of their in store rewards program, so consider participating if your local grocer does this.

One of the best ways to save on your holiday dinner is to make it a potluck. Ask your guests to bring a favorite holiday dish. You might even suggest they bring along the recipe to allow friends and family to leave with new favorites for their own families. If you provide the turkey and potatoes, you may well find that your guests can come with the cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and rolls in tow. This will also reduce your overall workload, allowing you to enjoy your holiday more since you are spending somewhat less of it in the kitchen.

Perhaps you throw a holiday gathering of one sort or another for friends. If you have traditionally thrown a dinner party or cocktail party, this may be a substantial expense, particularly when alcoholic beverages are thrown into the mix. Unfortunately, these sorts of events do not lend themselves well to holiday entertaining on a budget.

Rethinking the kinds of holiday entertaining you do can help you to save. If you normally throw a cocktail party, perhaps having a dessert hour would work well. Invite friends over; serve several desserts alongside mulled wine or cider. Your alcohol bill will be lower, and friends are sure to enjoy the relaxed holiday gathering. You might also consider a tree trimming party, complete with hot chocolate and cookies. Some people opt to share holiday traditions, including favorite cookies, with a cookie swap during the holiday season. Again, this is a great way to spend time with friends, and can allow you to create lovely cookie plates for friends and family without spending as much. Even a relaxed potluck supper can be a fun holiday option.

While your usual holiday entertaining may have been a formal affair, holiday entertaining on a budget can be warm, casual and fun for the whole family. Share traditions with friends and share hospitality while not draining the bank. More and more people are downsizing at the holidays and trying to focus on people and experiences. Take the time to plan holiday entertaining on a budget that will be fun and memorable, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the joy you find in a simple cup of homemade hot chocolate and a plate of cookies shared with good friends.