This will be a tough year for many families and the greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of common sense. If you overspend, you will be the one to suffer, so the keywords are prioritize your spending. Decide how much you can reasonably spend. Decide that youwill not use your credit card. How about having a $100 Christmas? Consider it a challenge! Have a family meeting. Talk with the family about this year’s spending plan.

Perhaps you might want to think about turning the tables and have everyone in the
family, look through their belongings and focus on what they could give away, to gift to
someone else who could use that item and not on what they will or will not be receiving.

Just because you celebrated the Holidays a certain way last year doesn’t mean that you
have to do the same thing every year. However much you decide to spend, promise
yourself that you will honor that promise. Who knows, you may just find that this

Christmas will be more meaningful for both you and your family. The key is in the
attitude you present. Are you going into the plan thinking this is going to be the worst
Holiday season ever? Or, are you thinking, this year, we need to make our celebration
special in a different way? If you think it will be great, it will be. If you think it will be
dreadful, you’d be right there, too.

Consider making a list of all of the activities that you normally do and adapt them to your
Holiday budget. What can you cut back on? Ask everyone coming to dinner to bring
their favorite dish along with the recipe to share? It is very possible that there are
activities on your list that you don’t particularly enjoy . . . why continue those? Holiday
stress is often the result of trying to do too much in too little time.

While attending a conference last week, one of the other participants said that her
Christmas shopping was all but done. That’s great! She took advantage of sales
throughout the year but I did not do that so that I am left with all the shopping to do
between now and the big day. To relieve some of the pressure, consider giving a gift that only you could give. How about giving a certificate for a week’s worth of dog sitting
during next summer’s vacation. Or, providing free babysitting for a weekend get-a-way.
Perhaps there is a home repair that is long overdue, give a coupon to provide that service.  The trick to coupon/certificate gifts is that you must follow through. Schedule a time when you will actually provide the gift. Baked goods are always a hit. Anything
homemade automatically says that you put thought and caring into the gift. Consider
giving a monetary gift to a favorite charity in someone else’s name. The options are
endless. We are only limited by our own imaginations.

Below is a list of typical holiday activities. Add other activities you normally do.  Set aside time with your family to discuss this list and decide how you will handle each activity this year. Add other activities that you
might do and include those in your discussion.
Start with a holiday budget.
Make a gift list.
Buy, make or provide a certificate for gifts.
Buy or make stocking stuffers.
Wrap gifts.
Mail or deliver gifts.
Make card list.
Buy or make cards.
Address cards
Write notes or holiday letter.
Help with religious services.
Help with community activities including school events.
Attend religious services.
Attend community activities.
Do special holiday baking.
Clean the house.
Decorate the home.
Buy tree and other decorations.
Host parties.
Prepare meals.
Visit family and/or friends.
Do extra grocery shopping.
Make travel arrangements
Pack for travel.
Board animals.

Give your family and yourself the gift of enjoying the holidays without all the stress of over-activity and over-spending.  (Source:  Holladay, S. [2008].  Holiday Budget Ideas.
Ohio State University Extension)