Christmas is fast approaching. Would you like some tips on Christmas savings? Hopefully, I’m writing this post before you get started on your holiday rituals. I have some ideas that will help make your holiday season less expensive. That doesn’t mean you have to forego the Christmas Spirit. In fact, it’s when you focus on the true spirit of Christmas that you learn to spend less
Have you found yourself spending more money at Christmas each year? It seems to be a cultural trend in America. Decorations get more elaborate. We buy more presents than we used to. The commercialism of Christmas has almost made it feel competitive. That’s not the way it was meant to be.
Check out these simple Christmas ideas at Becoming Minimalist.
You Don’t Have To Break The Bank This Year
You can learn to keep Christmas sacred and spend less money. Today, I’d like to share 5 steps I’ve taken to find more Christmas savings each year. These steps also support the true meaning of Christmas.
Read on…
A Guide To Christmas Savings
- Make a family pact: First, you need to come to an agreement with your loved ones. Have a family meeting. Create some simple rules. You can set limits on how many gifts each member can give. You can set a maximum price limit per gift. Or even better, you can make a rule that all gifts must be handmade rather than bought at a store. This family time gets everyone on the same page and actually makes Christmas more personal. And remember, buying stuff on Black Friday won’t bring happiness.
- Ditch the decor: Last year, I gave the majority of my Christmas decor to Goodwill. Why? Because I can’t support a habit of overconsumption. I’d bought more decorations while my daughter was little. I wanted to see her light up with the excitement of decorating for the holidays. Annie is 10 years old now. I want to teach her ways to be less impulsive and more conservative with her money. I can’t support a culture of flashy trinkets made by underpaid foreign workers. I want Annie to see that there are more important aspects to Christmas than flash. I prefer one small, live tree with a few meaningful, homemade decorations.
- Get outdoors: I support exercise and outdoor activity. I walk regularly. I hike. I ride a bicycle. One reason we spend a lot of money at Christmas is that we’ve made it an indoor season. Make a point to continue to get outdoors throughout the winter. Take walks together. Go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Find things to do outdoors, away from the shopping centers and malls. You’ll discover some great Christmas savings and maybe even lose a few pounds.
- Forego the food: You don’t have to fast. But you also don’t have to buy so much food that you stuff yourself. I have a small family. If I make too much food it winds up going to waste. So I stay away from big meals and too many Christmas treats. Pick a few all-time favorite foods or treats and eat them in moderation.
- Read and sing: Christmas is about Jesus. Instead of focusing on gifts and decorations, try focusing on reading the Christmas story together. It will bring your family together and you’ll get back to the true spirt of the season. Singing and playing music can also bing more Christmas cheer to your home. Learn a few holiday songs as a family. You might even make a family decision to go and sing around the neighborhood. Kids love music. Once you get them started, you might have a hard time getting them to stop. But just think of all the Christmas savings you’re creating.
Merry Christmas
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year. I hope you use these five steps to Christmas savings. I also hope you focus more on the reason behind the season than all the gifts and decor.
As a gift to you, I’d like to offer you a free ebook. The Happiness Of Simple helps you learn to focus on simplicity. You’ll find more peace. You’ll discover that you have more time for the things that are really important.
