Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, for some at least. Others might disagree on that because of all the money spent during the holidays. “The average person spends more than $900 on holiday gifts, according to the latest research”, SoFi Learn says. That doesn’t even include the money spent on travel, food, decor, and so much more. But why start the New Year with big holiday debt? There are plenty of ways to have a jolly ole Christmas without breaking the bank.
Having a budget on Christmas is actually common for lots of families. A common gift theme for families each year is something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read. That is an easy way to limit the amount of money spent on presents. But for me personally I don’t like that method because I think gifts should be spontaneous and unexpected each year instead of pre planned. Simply limiting the gifts per person would be helpful on costs, or you could create a budget for each person.
Curious about other people’s Christmas spending, I talked to Maria Waller, one of our lovely Spanish teachers here at GHS, and I asked her what gift giving looks like in her family. She told me “On my mom’s side we give gifts that are either homemade or something needed. My daughter, Maggie, gets just one main gift from me and my husband. And she makes her own gifts herself for friends, like crafts. I usually make salsa or other goodies for my friends and family. Overall our Christmas is not too expensive because we give gifts from the heart instead of just materials.”
I enjoyed hearing about Maria’s gift traditions. I think her ways are smart and I will definitely be a little more like Maria this year so I don’t end up spending $100’s of dollars on gifts.
Now, gifts aren’t the only expensive part of Christmas. Doing Christmas activities can add up too. But luckily there are plenty of activities that are quite cheap if not totally free to fill up your Christmas season with jolly and cheer. Some of my personal favorite activities that me and my family do include, touring neighborhoods to see Christmas lights, playing holiday trivia, playing charades, making ornaments, baking cookies, and more!
I wanted to hear more about Christmas traditions that are less expensive so I asked some of my fellow writers in Newspaper. Jaysea Rickels says “Making gingerbread houses, Christmas movie marathons, and hot chocolate contests are just a few of my favorite holiday traditions.” Haley Escalante says “My family and I love getting together to watch Christmas movies every year.” I love these holiday activities! I encourage you to ask others about their inexpensive traditions as well.
If you find yourself struggling to cut back on your favorite season, meettally.com says “Try to spend only using cash or a debit card. Credit cards and loans can risk impulsive decisions and balances you might not be able to pay off.” Having a cheap Christmas is possible and you can do it.
I hope you walk away from this article more equipped for a lovely and non stressful holiday season, and remember Christmas isn’t about the money you spend but the joy you have and bring to others.
