Have a Very Budgety Christmas!

It's that time of year again.  Stockings adorn the mantel, lighted garland frame the doors, and the Christmas tree is sporting a couple of new ornaments.  It's quiet and peaceful and I'm looking forward to the chilly nights and crisp mornings of winter.  I love Christmas.  L-O-V-E it.  Not really for the presents (although my family will probably tell you differently), but for the soft lights and quiet glow of the season.

The last few years have been financially tough on the U.S.  We managed to dig a pretty big hole for ourselves and we're still trying to find the edges of that hole in order to try and climb out.  Some of us have chosen to live within our means, work hard, save, and pay off our debts, while others have decided to go sit in a filthy encampment and whine about how life isn't fair.  Whatever your reaction, it's time to rethink what you spend this year or what you're spending your money on.

Let's face it.  We live in a capitalist society.  Without us out there spending our hard earned dollars, the economy would collapse and we may as well learn how to goosestep, because we'll all of a sudden become the largest territory in someone else's country.  The Grinch may be telling you that Christmas doesn't come from a store, but at the same time he's directing you to buy his tell-all book, the adorable stuffed plush Max doll, and the complete Whoville playset.  I'm not saying that we should all sit around and make gingerbread men garland out of recycled grocery bags (although, crap... that's kind of good idea.  patent pending.).  What I'm suggesting is that we show some restraint this year.

Perhaps your significant other doesn't need the $400 mixer right now when a handmixer would do.  Yeah, the $400 mixer would be nice, but you're on a budget, remember?  You can get that mixer when you get the credit card paid off, or you're not constantly checking your bank account balance to make sure you're not going to overdraft.  I'm not saying you have to get super cheap or something, but maybe you get one less gift this year than last.  Or you make a gift.  Handmade gifts are always appreciated and they tend to mean a little bit more than something you picked up off a shelf (even though you had to elbow that blue-haired lady in the throat to get the last one).  Maybe you make cookies baskets for your office friends rather than that $10 Starbucks card you thought would be nice.  (I priced it out.  A nicely adorned bag of cookies is significantly less.)  Is your 5-year-old seriously going to notice one less gift under the tree?  My nephews hardly know what they actually got at the end of Christmas morning, so I can tell you from personal experience, they won't miss it.

I'm not advocating that you get all Scrooge McDuck on everyone, just that you think about how much you're spending compared to your financial situation, and what you're spending that money on.  I'm not even saying that you have to have every penny you're going to spend just sitting in the bank.  Go ahead and charge a few things.  But if you can't pay off your gifts by Valentine's Day, then perhaps you should rethink how much you're spending. 

Christmas is a truly wonderful time of year, and we all appreciate it for different reasons, even if you're not a firm believer in Christmas.  The lights and decorations alone are enough reason to appreciate the season.  Just appreciate it for what it can be, rather than how much you spend.