As children, the holidays are lighthearted and joyful, seemingly full of twinkling lights, goodies, and presents. As we grow up, and become responsible for supplying such delights with our hard earned money that happy feeling may begin to feel less like joy and more like dread but don’t lose heart because there is a better way.
Although it may feel compulsory to shower your loved ones with gifts, the reality is overspending is unnecessary and making your holidays fraught with stress is a choice. Keeping your family happy doesn’t have to be about buying them a large number of gifts or keeping up with the Joneses decorations. In fact, with just a small shift of perspective and a little creativity, your holidays can be more fulfilling than you imagine.
So, what kind of shift are we talking about? It’s simple.
Create experiences instead of buying gifts.
Shifting your focus from gifts to holiday experiences creates an environment that allows for more time with loved ones making lasting memories. The concept is a simple one that reduces spending, waste, and stress and best of all it only requires a little thought and mindfulness.
Imagine if you will, a Christmas spent sledding or baking cookies before sitting down to a family dinner. Following dinner, you bundle up the family to drive (or walk) around the neighborhood to admire the Christmas lights. Perhaps you come home to warm up with a mug of hot chocolate before making popcorn to watch your family’s favorite Christmas movie. Ending your night reading a beloved or new Christmas story together.
And, if you think that scenario too cliché, that’s okay because the beautiful thing about crafting experiences is that they are custom made to your lifestyle. It could be any tradition with anybody you decide to spend the holidays with; Maybe Christmas day looks like a bubble bath, a cup of chai and a good book alone at home, or perhaps a picnic on the beach with a group of friends. Anything that makes it unique to you and your holiday experience is an excellent idea.
Perhaps you love the idea, but still feel that the holidays are just not satisfying if there are no gifts involved. That’s okay because for many people, giving gifts during the holiday creates a sense of happiness that is irreplaceable. If this is you, take heart, gift giving can be stress-free if you do so within your means. We recommend you keep it simple and affordable with these gift buying tips.
Buy family gifts. Buying individual gifts for everybody on your list gets expensive, so instead of breaking the bank, we recommend you purchase one present for the entire family.
Some great examples of family gifts are
- A personalized family ornament
- A family board game
- A movie (make it a movie night basket with popcorn and treats!)
- Lawn or sports games
- Fun appliances like popcorn makers or slushy machines
- Home décor such as artwork, signs, or beautiful centerpieces.
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Make edibles. Baked goods with simple ingredients are delicious and inexpensive. So, instead of buying gifts, break out the mixing bowls and the oven mitts to save some money. Put those cookies or bread loafs on a festive paper plate with a bow and your delicious gift that cost mere change will make a million dollar impression.
Limit the number of gifts you give. This idea is simple and goes a long way in saving your money, your sanity, and as a bonus reduces household clutter. A favorite way to implement this is the 4-gift rule. Each gift recipient gets four gifts that match the following description.
- A want
- A need
- A wear
- A read
Draw names. It’s a simple premise, put everyone’s name in a drawing, and everybody picks a name. The name you choose is the person you purchase a gift for. This straightforward tradition means you buy one gift instead of twenty.
Give the gift of charity. Let’s face it; most of our parents have everything they need and most of everything they want. Instead of buying them a present, give a monetary donation to a charity that is close to their heart in their honor. You can gift wrap the certificate or receipt and present it to them. Giving to charity is a triple win because you are benefiting a community in need, saving money and giving your family one less knick-knack to dust.
Use technology to your advantage. With websites (and apps) like https://slickdeals.net and https://www.dealnews.com, rock-bottom prices are literally at your fingertips. These sites and others like them post sales and coupons that are available, and some, like slick deals, are powered by consumers. Many allow you to set deal alerts that notify you when particular items go on sale. Using these platforms will help you avoid paying full-price when shopping for the perfect gift.
Get crafty. With unfettered access to the internet and DIY video’s, you don’t have to pay top dollar at retail giants to make an impression. Consider making a meaningful gift that takes more time but costs less money. Write and frame a poem, make a beautiful flower pressing, paint a rock or transfer a cherished photo to wood. The amount of heart you put into a gift will mean more than the amount of money you spent on it.