Holiday Freebies: 15+ Festive Finds That Don't Cost a Dime

Holiday Freebies: 15+ Festive Finds That Don't Cost a Dime

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Published November 13, 2024
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harkiran kalsi, AARP (Getty Images, 6)

What is your favorite way to celebrate the holidays that is absolutely free? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The holidays are upon us, Sis, so that means joyful celebrations, tasty meals, more time with family and friends, and hopefully, for you, some downtime. The season can also mean a lot of spending. To help ease the burden on your wallet, we’ve gathered some holiday freebies to help you with your shopping, eating, entertaining and more. Celebrate the wonders and joy of the season with these free goodies.

Free breakfast

Join the Manhattan Bagel eClub and get a free bagel with cream cheese. The Einstein Bros. Bagels rewards program also offers new members a free bagel and shmear with purchase.

Free lunch

Enjoy a free Big Mac when you download the McDonald’s app and make a $1 minimum purchase. Plus, you can get free French fries every Friday through December 31 when you make a minimum $1 purchase in the app.

Free coffee

Get free coffee with an online or mobile order every day when you join the Bruegger's Bagels or Noah’s NY Bagels rewards programs.

Free cookies

December 4 is National Cookie Day. Look out for freebies and deals from chains like Insomnia Cookies, Great American Cookies and others.

Free holiday recipes

Supermarket chains Aldi, Kroger, Publix, Shoprite, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Whole Foods and others have extensive online databases of seasonal recipes, including creative ideas for your holiday meal leftovers. Some markets also have printed magazines or recipe sheets at customer service.

Free cooking classes

Attend cooking classes online with Udemy, HomemadeCooking and YouTube. From basic skills to advanced cooking techniques, learn everything you need to impress your dinner guests this holiday season.

Free holiday planning printables

Prepare for the holiday season with planning worksheets from Day Designer. Printables include a menu planner, entertaining checklist, gift idea list, holiday bucket list and thank you note tracker. While there, browse Day Designer’s other planning pages, such as a goal tracker, expense tracker, cleaning schedule, gratitude journal and daily, weekly and monthly planning pages.

Free holiday movies

Love holiday films? Watch new and old seasonal flix with streaming services Kanopy and Hoopla, available through your local library. Also, check out AARP’s Movies for Grownups for some holiday favorites.

Free holiday music

Curate your music for the season with holiday playlists and stations from iHeartRadio, Pandora and Spotify. You can also access music on Hoopla and Freegal through your local library, or browse our Sisters playlists for more holiday hits.

Free skincare samples

Protect your skin from cooler, drier weather with free samples of La Roche Posay Anthelios Face & Body Sunscreen, Riversol 15-Day Anti-Aging Sample Kit, and SunShield+ Tinted Mineral Sunscreen and Organic 3-in-1 Cream. Browse freeflys.com for more beauty samples.

Free Santa visit

Kids and grandkids will love visiting Santa’s Wonderland at your local Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's. Each family gets a free 4X6 photo with Santa and a shareable video; reservations are required. Visit on Santa’s arrival day, November 2, and enjoy free activities and giveaways while supplies last.

Free Lego Magazine

Gift a child in your life a Lego Magazine subscription for free. Kids (ages five to nine) will get five printed issues a year.

Free bonus gift cards with purchase

As the holidays ramp up, restaurants and retailers will offer freebies and bonuses with gift card purchases, so look for deals. They’re a great way to extend your gift-gifting or stretch your dining-out budget. Previous years’ promotions included offers from Applebee’s, P.F. Chang's, Red Lobster, Regal Cinemas, Texas Roadhouse and more.

Free craft workshops

Get crafting this season with free online or in-store workshops from JOANN Stores, Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Home Depot. You’ll find timely tutorials like DIY Kwanzaa Kinara with Hand-Painted Candles, Crystal Embellished Greeting Cards, Christmas Table Settings and more.

Free seasonal workshops for kids

Bring the kiddos to JC Penney’s Kids Zone on the second Saturday of every month for free crafts. Kids can create a turkey centerpiece for Thanksgiving and partake in additional seasonal crafts throughout the holidays. Lowe’s also offers in-store workshops. On November 16, kids can create a Holiday Countdown, and on December 14, they can make a Spinning Snowflake. (Make sure you register online ahead of time.) Also, Michael's runs a free online Kids Club Winter Workshop from December 1 through December 12.

Free holiday concerts and performances

Fill up your calendar with free live events throughout the holiday season. Lincoln Center's David Rubenstein Atrium in New York City has free in-person events weekly. Also, Ailey, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, Juilliard and Lincoln Center offer free live-streamed or on-demand concerts, performances and lecture series. For local holiday entertainment, search online for “free events” along with your city or town, browse Eventbrite and check out your local library’s website for seasonal events in your community.

Free park admission

Head to your nearby national park for free on January 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

 

What is your favorite way to celebrate the holidays that is absolutely free? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Alaya Linton is a personal financial coach on a mission to help women break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and create a better financial future. As a former clothing designer, she writes about both money and fashion and has appeared in U.S. News & World Report, thebalance.com, GOBankingRates, and other publications.