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Thankful for Simplicity

Having less money means having less stuff, and the idea that having less stuff means having less happiness is a myth. Once basic needs are met, the opposite is true! The more stuff you have, the more stuff you have to worry about. More presents, decorations and dinner dishes means more shopping, more wrapping, more "hm"ing, more "haw"ing, more arranging, more cleaning, and all-in-all, more stress.

You don't need more stuff to feel more love for family and friends. Last year's decorations are as wonderful now as they were then. The less shopping you do, the more time you'll have to actually enjoy the company of others.

Travel Around Town

People put out twinkly lights and other decorations to have them looked at and enjoyed by others. Whether or not you can afford to decorate your own house this year (electricity can get expensive), your town is likely full of beautifully decorated homes to enjoy.

Gather a group and go for a walk, especially if your area gets a nice snowfall - falling snow makes the night magical in a soft, quiet way. If it's too cold or too uncomfortable to walk, there's nothing wrong with taking the car to a good viewing spot. You might want to save gas money by parking and then walking a few blocks, instead of staying in the car the whole time.

If you do walk with your group, bring some songbooks, just in case you can convince everyone to take up caroling with you!

Make Your Own Decorations and Gifts

Construction paper, glue, glitter, markers, cloth ribbon, paint, and scissors are a lot less expensive than most of the decorations you can purchase at the local department store, especially since you probably posess at least some of them already. Making decorations can become a yearly family tradition, which saves money while adding meaning to the holiday on a very personal level. Craft ideas for all age ranges are easy to find on the Internet.

If you're skilled at knitting, crocheting, or other crafts, stock up on wool and supplies. Not only can you make great ornaments and decorations at low cost this way, but most people love hats, mittens and scarves, even if they're not big fans of sweaters. Making winter gear is a great way to show off how well you know your loved ones' tastes. And then if you don't know, fake it! Black goes with everything and doesn't show stains.

The key point to remember here is that the things all humans need (food, drink, and clothing) are things we, culturally, know how to make in cost-effective and

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