By Staff
We all know how expensive Christmas can be and with prices constantly on the rise, it's easy to see why a family can spend thousands of dollars during the holiday season.
While breath-taking gifts can be great, it's important to remember the true meaning of Christmas – and it has nothing to do with money!
It seems people have a contest when it comes to buying Christmas presents. Aunt Susie and grandma Sally rush to see who can buy the best gifts for the family, mom and dad spend $300 on one gift for their 2 year-old daughter who has no idea what value even is yet and children want to spend all of their savings on that one perfect gift.
People seem to celebrate emptying their pockets more than celebrating family, friends and, the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.
Gifts are nice and showing we care for one another is great, but does it have to be to an extreme? What happened to one special gift? Does someone really need 20 boxes to know they are appreciated? Some people say yes, others agree it's time to 'slow down this year.'
Here are a few tips to help you keep some extra money in your pocket this year.
Don't buy gifts for every Tom, Barry and Harry you know. Narrow your "gifts to buy for" list to only your close family and friends.
Don't buy gifts to impress people. The types of people who are impressed with the amount of money you spend on a gift are not worth impressing in the first place. Chances are they will quickly forget your gift anyway.
Don't put your name in the gift exchange at work if you can't afford to participate. You may even be helping someone else without realizing it. There might be someone at work who is even more financially strapped than you are.
Remember, it's the thought that counts! Gifts don't have to be expensive to mean something to the receiver. Most of the time, people seem to enjoy items made from the heart – or your kitchen! Instead of a $30 fruit basket, bake a pie, homemade cookies or breads. Gifts from the heart mean more and have more appreciation than those purchased on the shelves.
Figure out how much you can afford to spend. If your limit is $300 this year, than that should be your limit. You can get plenty of wonderful gifts for $300. They don't make bargain stores for nothing!
Sometimes last minute shopping isn't a bad thing. A lot of stores will hold sales throughout the month of December, and even more so a few weeks before Christmas.
If you get more stressed out at Christmas than you do the day before a wedding, you are doing too much! Relax and enjoy Christmas. It's not supposed to be a holiday of constant stress.