by P. M. Montgomery

Created on: November 07, 2009

Having an inexpensive Christmas is probably on everyone's mind this year. While the economist's are saying the recession is over, I, along with the rest of my family and everyone else I know, have yet to see any signs of that.

Having had a wedding this summer and a new grandchild last month, our family is growing by leaps and bounds. We put our heads together to decide the best way to keep costs down and still have a nice Christmas for everyone. These ideas are what we came up with.

First, instead of buying individual gifts for everyone this year, we are going to purchase one gift per household. It can be something they really are in need of or, as in the case of my mother, who has everything, just something from the heart. Well, it all will come from the heart, but in her case, I will perhaps make her favorite German Chocolate Cake, or something along those lines. This kind of gift giving will take some detective work, but will certainly save everyone some money in the end. You could go even further and put a limit on the amount that you spend per household, too. At this point, we have not done that, but we may.

This does not include the little children, however. We have a new grandchild that will, of course, be showered in gifts, but they will not be expensive ones, and I will make sure they are things my son and his wife need. My older grandchildren also will receive individual presents, and they will be things that they need with one toy thrown in. I plan on passing down a beloved stuffed toy to my granddaughter. She is very particular with her toys, and will take good care of my beloved angel kitty. Our older grandson is crazy about toy cars, so his gift will be easy to purchase.

The gift giving taken care of, we turn to Christmas dinner. This in itself can be quite expensive if you try to take it on all by yourself. But, if you are like most families I know, potluck is becoming the norm. Everyone brings a dish, with the hostess providing the main course, perhaps. The turkey or ham may still be found at a bargain if you search the sales and use coupons. Having your family help with the rest of the meal will really cut down on what comes out of your pocket. It also helps with the stress of preparing all that food yourself, and you can enjoy just being with your loved one and the joy the day brings.

Merry Christmas, Everyone.

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