I cannot believe it is almost time for Christmas!! What do you do for Christmas? Do you send Christmas cards or photo cards? Do you buy gifts for everyone in your family, extended family and friends and coworkers? That can run into a lot of money. We've seen it happen in the past on personal finance blogs. Did you do it last year? Do you have plans to do it again? Did you save money all year long for Christmas so you can?
We have an artificial Christmas tree that we've had for over a decade. I remember when we got it. The people who gave it to us were buying a bigger and better artificial Christmas tree and gave us their old one. It is huge! Some years we don't celebrate Christmas because even though it is often considered a Christian holiday, it actually has pagan origins. I do like the shiny, bright Christmas lights though, so we usually put up a tree just so I can sit in the dark with a cup of hot tea and look at the pretty colors. I have also been known to string colorful Christmas lights in my bedroom during the Christmas season.
Many years ago when my children were young I sent out Christmas cards, but I don't seem to have the time to do that for several years. I do buy Christmas cards every year from Target at their after Christmas 90% off sale. I use these to give to my coworkers, and some to very close family members, like my mom, sisters and mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Some years I made homemade gifts. One year I made orange marmalade and bread and butter cucumber chip pickles. My mom watches out for apples on sale to make her famous and delicious apple butter which has no sugar added whatsoever. She makes a few gallons and gives quarts to family members.
One year I went to a cookie exchange. That was fun. Everyone baked two dozen cookies and about twenty people showed up. Everyone gets some of each type of cookie.
Some years, like last year, our immediate family decided to celebrate Christmas after the 90% off sales, which was a great savings.
Some people, like my boss, pick up presents all year round for her family. She buys presents for lots of people, me and my family included, and even some ex-employees at our job. She has a lot of children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She must spend at least a thousand dollars, if not more. I have tried to do this, but unfortunately I usually end up losing the presents in my bedroom somewhere…
So what do YOU do for Christmas? Go all out? Don't celebrate? Do you have a favorite crafty gift that you give out?
We usually buy presents for family and several friends. Usually for at least 25 people. Although for my sister and her grown children we always say we won’t exchange gifts but we always do.
I’m considering giving everyone giftcards this year. If I actually go out shopping I tend to overspend.
I really wish I could just buy for my two children and be done with it. I just don’t like the emphasis put on material things during Christmas.
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Oh wow. That would probably be VERY difficult to get out of, especially if people have come to expect it. If I were you, I’d definitely begin downgrading this year. Make a homemade goodie (my mom’s apple butter is a huge hit, fat free, sugar free and fairly inexpensive), or make the homemade cocoa mix in a canning jar with a pretty bow for everyone. Every family gets one. LOL, they probably won’t like it much, but at least they’d get *something*. I agree with you about the emphasis being put on material items. Maybe giftcards will be a good start for you to downsize the shopping. Good luck Amber and THANK YOU for visiting and commenting!
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I just buy small tokens for people to show that I care, because I think it’s worse for me to go broke giving everyone a $10 gift card, when it hardly buys anything anyways.
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