Holidays on a Budget
My family celebrates Christmas, and it’s my favorite time of the year, even more so since I view it as a secular celebration rather than a religious one. I start planning for it in July, and by the time Halloween rolls around, I’m anxiously awaiting the opportunity to put up my decorations. On November 1st, I can be found rummaging through boxes and crates, turning my home into a winter wonderland, even though the temperature is still usually in the 60s where I live. Yes, I put up my Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. I’m being thankful for Christmas cheer, and one month is just not enough time for me to enjoy all the antique and home-made decorations with which I fill my home.
In our culture, Christmas is often synonymous with financial anxiety. We spend so much money on decorations, on presents, on electricity and food and travel. I don’t have a lot of money to spend, so how do I make it work?
There are a few different principles I follow in preparing to have all the Christmas joy with much less financial anxiety. I won’t say I never overspend, but my overspending is limited mostly to family gifts that have a spending amount attached, like white elephant-type gift exchanges.
1. Plan early. I love having beautiful old decorations around my house, but those kinds of antiques can get expensive… unless I find them at the thrift store in June, which is how I have acquired many of the things I most enjoy. Storing things for a few months in a back closet full of plastic tubs is a small price to pay for avoiding the sticker shock of trying to buy all my decorations at the last minute. I also plan gifts early, and either buy or make as many of them as I can throughout the year. Then, by the time the season rolls around, I don’t have to buy everything all at once. Many of my purchases have already been absorbed into my budget earlier in the year.
2. Develop a decorating style. I use a lot of deep greens and burgundy reds, and many of my decorations are wooden antiques or quilted hangings. My ornaments are handmade. Since I have a distinct style, I don’t have to buy trendy decorations every year. I can set aside some cash for one or two seasonal pieces I love without worrying about completely replacing my decorations for ones that are more popular this year. (Remember a few years ago when everything was covered in glitter? And this year it’s all pink! So much motivation to avoid replacing decorations every year!)
3. Simplify your gift-giving. My family went from doing a whole heap of gifts every year to only two, and those two are meant to be more thoughtful than expensive. I highly recommend a system like this for two reasons. First, the pressure to strain your finances to buy the biggest, best gifts is gone. Secondly, the gifts you do give and receive are more meaningful, better thought-out, and less likely to be storage problems or unwanted junk that pads out the gift count. The first year we did this, I worried I would miss having so many packages to open. Not only did that not happen, but I felt such a sense of satisfaction about the gifts we had. Watching someone open a gift you picked out for them that they will be able to really use and appreciate throughout the year is such a valuable experience, and I highly recommend it.
4. Value experiences over stuff! Spend time making cookies while you dance around the kitchen and sing along with Christmas music. Go on a Christmas light drive and see how many gorgeous lights displays you can find. Have the whole family dress in pajamas and fluffy socks, and then enjoy popcorn and homemade eggnog while you watch classic movies. There are so many wonderful ways to make the holidays special that don’t involve big price tags. These can be whole days or small moments! Christmas cookies eaten together before it’s time to brush teeth and go to bed can be just as meaningful as a whole big evening, and it’s a tradition your family will likely remember for decades to come.
5. Don’t be afraid to spend time alone. There is so much emphasis placed on togetherness that it can seem counter-intuitive to spend time by yourself during the holiday season, but I absolutely cherish my quiet moments sipping some spiced tea and hanging up garlands. Don’t forget to give yourself time to rest, because you deserve to rest. You deserve to have time to recharge, and then when you do engage with others to celebrate the season of community, you will have more to give.
I love this time of year, and with these simple tips, you too can enjoy the season and leave the financial stress behind. By front-loading your unavoidable spending earlier in the year, valuing experiences over gifts, developing a decorating style, and being willing to spend time in solitude soaking up the warmth and peace of the holidays, you can enjoy Christmas so much more.
What are your favorite ways to spend less and enjoy the season more?