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to your soul.

Make home made sweets as offerings for friends and family instead of gifts, and what you start to see is that you are getting back to your roots, and seeing that indeed even if you have very little money, that packet of sweets you made by hand bring a bigger sparkle to people's eyes than the useless socks and handkerchiefs bought in the sale. They mean you took your time and spent it making someone special a present. Get the kids involved. Let them feel that same joy because the joy of giving is much bigger than the joy of receiving. Challenge each other to making presents for each other, explaining that money is short, and that everything you have will go on essential things like food and the Christmas tree. Kids can take disappointment, though if you dress that disappointment up with hope, even a child understands.

If you think your finances run to a gift for the kids, let them show you the things they like and decide on one gift instead of many. Often when children get too much, the packages end up unappreciated, simply because there really is too much choice. That one present will mean something to the kids, although if you all make presents for each other, it opens up a whole new world of anticipation as each child impatiently waits to see what you made, or compare the work put into the gifts given.

Take this a step further and look at past indulgence. In each child's bedroom there are always toys which they have outgrown. Get them to choose ones which they don't play with any more, and help them to clean them up like new, ready to give to children who have nothing. It's surprising how enthusiastic they can be, and it certainly helps the whole family feel festive even if the money within the home is short.

Food plays an important role in a family Christmas. It's not about excess. It is about tradition. Even if your turkey is a humble one, the tradition of carving the turkey at the Christmas table need not take a back seat. You can always cook more vegetables. Everyone loves the trimmings, and the trimmings are relatively cheap to provide in ample quantities. Cut back on the alcohol, and remember that drinking costs a lot of money. A nice bottle of wine for Christmas dinner, and a few beers is fine, but remember that after the celebrations are over, the bottles are empty and there is no lasting joy left. The bank is still going to be short of cash, but if you remember this when choosing priorities, it doesn't have to be as empty as that potential bottle.

Get back to basics. Remember all those games played at Christmas which involve family fun. Get out the board games and invite the family to take part in games which don't cost a lot of money, but do give very good entertainment value. If you have no board games, party games like charades are fun things to do which really cost nothing but time and laughter.

Christmas is about being together and remembering that Jesus was born in a stable. He didn't have an Xbox or a Wii. He didn't have a television, though what he did have was a mother's love and a father's protection. This is what Christmas is all about and if your kids can feel safe and loved regardless of your financial status, that's the best gift in the world a parent can give. Follow in the steps of Joseph and Mary, and perhaps you won't be visited by Wise Men and shepherds, but you will experience something that comes from humble understanding of harmony and joy.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
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