Maybe I can encourage those whose Christmas tree is going on a "diet" this year. :) Are you struggling with how to handle a lean budget? Is Santa sending back your lists with revisions and cuts?
Christmas is often very stressful because it is a season rich with traditions. We all want our kids to look back with same sense of "always" that we had growing up. Maybe you "always" made certain foods; "always" went certain places; and of course, "always" started of Christmas morning with the happy screech of Christmas paper wrap torn off mysterious packages piled under the tree. "Always" is actually a very dangerous word.
There are four things that can help ease the financial stress of this time of year. I hope this puts a spring back in your step, if the weight of unrealistic expectations has been slowing you down.
1. Find free/almost free traditions.
I love looking at Christmas lights. It's not free to the homeowners who will be paying their December electric bill in bricks of gold. :) But for the rest of us, it's a delightful tradition. I have many fond memories of taking a ten-minute drive with my family to a neighboring community where Christmas lights were fantastic. Turn on some Christmas music in the car (radio is still free too--yay!!).
Other free ideas:
Read the Christmas story and memorize Luke 2:1 - 14 as a family.
Pray earnestly for those who are suffering deep grief at this season.
Find a way to bless someone else through acts of kindness.
2. Be honest with older kids; be vague and optimistic with younger kids.
Older kids can handle the truth about budgets, and I view it as a valuable part of their growth. After all, they will someday have to make hard choices too. Why make them feel that you never had to do that? Why go into debt paying for electronics you can't afford just so they can have what other kids have? Teenagers may be more appreciative of small gifts if they understand the sacrifice.
But little kids are so easy to please! Three of Joshua's favorite toys are large items I bought for under $5 at Goodwill in previous Christmases. As one of their gifts, my brother used to give his kids a box of sugared cereal once a year, on Christmas. What a fun tradition! And knowing Elizabeth's skill with coupons, she probably got them free and earned points while she was at it. :)
3. Don't covet.
It is easy to overlook that tenth commandment. After all, it doesn't seem as catastrophic as adultery, murder, or idol worship. And maybe its consequences are sometimes easier to rein in for a while. But left unchecked, coveting can do as much harm as adultery. It can poison a marriage; it can create rebellion in kids who are subjected to parental jealousy and depression; and it can create anger toward God for not giving us the same things He gave others. David asked in Psalm 77:9, "Hath God forgotten to be gracious?" Coveting suggests that God leaves some people behind. Coveting is a noose, suffocating faith, hope, kindness, and joy.
4. Give creatively without distressing your budget.
Acts of kindness; budget-friendly baked goods (homemade bread is usually under $1/loaf); and relationship-building activities (borrowing a movie, working on a project together, or participating in a community event) are all ways to enjoy the meaning of the Christmas season without living above your means.
And suddenly, Christmas ends up being about Jesus and not about "stuff." Is that really such a bad thing?
