Keep the Holiday Spirit Alive for Less
Dec 12, 2024
One of the most expensive parts of the holiday season is the gift-giving. Especially if you have a large family with a lot of kids, it can be difficult to manage your budget. Thankfully, we know of some ways to help reduce the cost without reducing any of the cheer.
1. Manage Expectations
For adults and older kids, this is simple: talk about it. Be frank when you need to. There are several gift-giving solutions you could come up with for a group of adults. You might draw names, so you only have to think about gifts for one person. Alternatively, you might all agree on a price limit per person. Or you might forgo gifts altogether and just relax and focus on the other fun parts of the season!
With younger kids, especially those who still believe in Santa, you might approach it slightly differently.
The key to keeping spirits bright is to set expectations earlier in the season and be consistent – especially if it’s going to be different from last year. Kids are happiest when their expectations are met or exceeded (which isn’t really that different from adults!).
This season, try sitting down with your children and having a conversation about what to expect and why. Remember the positive as well – talk about what’s important about the season and why you celebrate.
2. Unplug From Advertisements
This goes hand-in-hand with managing expectations. Kids, especially young kids, are defenseless against the onslaught of ads on the TV, online and in apps. This can warp their expectations of the season, making them lose interest in the holiday itself and focus on gimmicky toys instead.
Adults may also benefit from “unplugging” for a little while around this time of year. It’s easy to get inundated with the cries of special deals and nifty items. Removing the temptations as much as you can helps you better manage your own wants and resist impulse purchases.
3. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
What do you remember most fondly about the holidays when you were a kid? Maybe you remember a few stand-out gifts, but odds are it’s the traditions, experiences and family time that made the season truly special.
Kids don’t need a ton of expensive gifts to have a memorable, magical holiday – and neither do adults. In fact, kids and adults both often appreciate experiences more than a bunch of toys. But unless you’re doing away with gifts entirely this season, it’s definitely better to prioritize smaller or more genuine gifts. Here are some ideas to help you stay in budget.
For kids:
- Tell them Santa is only stuffing the stockings this year (or do away with stocking stuffers entirely).
- Follow the “five gift rule” – Give them something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read and something to do.
- Put less emphasis on gifts and schedule family outings and special events throughout the season.
- Celebrate a family tradition or start a new one.
For adults:
- DIY your gifts – Creating multiple unique gifts from the same base materials can help you save even more! Consider crafting something or putting together a care package or baking kit.
- Give an experience – Sign them up for a class, buy them concert tickets, etc.
- Buy them a useful item that you love, such as a special kitchen gadget or cleaning item.
- Donate on their behalf to a cause they’re passionate about.
Want more budget holiday ideas? Check out our blog from 2023!
Links:
https://www.hondafcu.org/about-hfcu/news/holiday-cheer-at-a-bargain
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