Tough financial times are cause for even the jolliest of fellows to cut back on expenses this Christmas. If you're looking for ways to make the most of your money this holiday season and still celebrate to the fullest with your children, consider these tips!
- Cut back on presents by having “Santa” hide them so your children will delight in finding them. Excited about the new tradition, the kids won't notice there are less packages under the tree.
- Divert your tot's eyes from the big toy items with whopping price tags by making a rule that all gifts have to fit in their stocking. Kids will love discovering that good things really do come in small packages.
- If you find yourself without funds, gift coupons in place of a few goodies that can be cashed in throughout the year. Christmas keeps on giving and your budget won’t be drained.
- Traveling for festivities? Buy two gifts for your tots. One they can have prior to take off and a second that they will receive once they return home.
- How about a one gift wonder? Leave a letter under the tree from St. Nick that gives kids kudos for being so good and grants them any single item they want (within reason).
Rick Cardona
Notify Jeans
Peacocks
"Divert your tot's eyes from the big toy items with whopping price tags by making a rule that all gifts have to fit in their stocking. Kids will love discovering that good things really do come in small packages."
How does this save money? Small gifts are just as expensive, often more so. If I did this, they'd both ask for things like Wii and DS games, which cost me much more than getting them a large toy.
My kids get to ask for one thing. If it's too expensive, we let them know that (we tell them we have to "help out" Santa with costs) and they have to choose something else, or know that it's the ONLY gift they'll get. The other gifts are things we choose for them.
1This is a bit too under the covers and such. Our parents explained things to us, albiet without details and in terms we could understand, that christmas wasnt about gifts and that we wouldnt ever expect to have giant loads of chrsitmas gifts. We got a few surprsie gifts, and one of the things on our lists. Never more then a few each. We spent the entire month of December focusing on celebrating the holidays, making gifts, making ornaments, watching chrsitmas specials, etc etc. it makes the actual christmas day part not have so much emphasis. Its not about buying your kids hundreds of dollars of gifts.
2well said miss sushi!
3I like the traveling tip. Giving the kid a present before you leave and once you get to the destination sounds like a good idea on keeping them less fussy.
4I agree with that as well. As Catholics, our family obviously doesn't make the gift-recieving and Santa the main focus of our season at all.
5That was agreeing with Miss Sushi, by the way.
6lol, thanks guys. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. Im soo excited. I dont think theres ANYTHING wrong with gifts, and we did enjoy it, it just wasnt the priority. We are doing my daugthers first gingerbread house on her birthday, the 18th. I cant wait!
7Why do you need to tell them an item is too expensive? Just have them make a list, it will probably havee 40 items on it and pick what you will buy them. Not everything needs to be explained to children.
8I like those tips. i'll keep them in mind for when I have kids.
9Sarana, I tell them so they don't set their heart on that one item. And I don't like them to make a list because then they'd focus all their energy on that rather than putting the focus on giving as well.
Also, my kids wouldn't come up with more than a few, so preparing them ahead of time if something isn't possible is only fair, in my opinion.
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