Time again for crowded malls and deck the halls. If Christmas has snuck up again like the Grinch down your chimney, there’s still hope.
Christmas budgets might be as appealing as low fat sugar-free cookies but don’t leave them off the menu. Charging Christmas is one holiday tradition to consider skipping this year. Here are a few money saving ideas to review between Amazon spam and Christmas Ham.
Divide and conquer
If adults are on your shopping list, time to revise. Too Grinchy? Hardly, consider that many people on your list wouldn’t mind crossing you off theirs. A slightly awkward conversation with your sister now saves you both time scouring the mall later. If you feel like you’re the only one struggling with a budget remember you’re not alone. Garrison Keillor once said, “The lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.”
Shop Smart
It’s easy to find the perfect gift for yourself while shopping for others. Write down that perfect gift and wait a few months. It might already be in a love one’s cart and destined to be nestled under your tree. List in hand and budget in mind, avoid a budget bender. Decide a specific dollar amount you’ll spend on each person and stick to it. Your future self will thank you.
Gift of yourself
There are many low-cost options that are priceless and heartfelt. Framed photos are thoughtful. Pictures from Facebook or taken throughout the year can be printed and added to inexpensive frames. Printer out of ink or Photobucket run dry? Consider reframing old pictures or keepsakes such as concert tickets. Or offer a holiday cleanup. Helping a friend or family member get their home “company ready” inside or out is a precious gift. Babysitting duties serve a similar function and promotes a holiday that everyone can enjoy. Cultivating plants from cuttings or seedlings is another present that shows you’re not just a talented gardener but a trusted resource. Home-baked cookies, jams or cakes are sweet nothings that everyone can enjoy. The gift of experiences–a picnic at the beach, volunteering together, or going to a going to a free event can be better than something scanned with a barcode.
Black Friday isn’t the reason for the season, no matter how cute they make the commercials. When the pressure of holiday shopping frazzles or the perfect gift feels out of reach remember the words of a wise man, named Dr. Seuss. “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
By Nataleigh Palmer
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