by Louise Schutte

Created on: October 02, 2010

As children we may have wondered why some adults did not get as excited about Christmas as we did.  As adults, however, many of us may find that this festive time of year can be quite stressful. In addition to decorating the house inside and out, and finding time to attend numerous functions that accompany the season, there is the ever present financial burden that Christmas tends to bring about.

The true spirit of Christmas is not about how much money we spend on gifts.  We, as a society, place the weight of commercialism upon our own shoulders.  It is possible to cut back on our Christmas expenditures without ruining the giving spirit of this joyous time. There are various ways to save money over the holiday season, depending on how much you may need to trim your Christmas budget by.

Track your expenditures by keeping a record of each year’s total Christmas purchases, from cards and wrapping to the gifts, decorations, and food costs. Before heading out to shop, be prepared. Make an itemized list in order to deter you from making impulsive purchases. Stick to the amount that you pre-designated for each person on the list.

If you find that you have very little to spend on each person, be resourceful with your gift giving ideas.  Something as simple as a photo and frame, or inexpensive calendar created of group snap shots make a keepsake for close friends or family members.

Having homemade Christmas baking on hand for those unexpected gifts is much less stressful than a Christmas Eve shopping spree. Homemade gifts, cards, and decorations can be a cost-effective way to get back to basics and add a personal touch to holiday gift giving. Gift tags can be easily made by cutting out the pictures of greeting cards from previous years. Tree decorations can be created from any number of items purchased at craft stores or by lucky finds at local thrift shops. Hand crafted gifts are only limited to one’s imagination or access to materials, and can be constructed by adults or children alike. If limited by time, or other constraints, handmade gifts can be purchased from craft fairs or Farmers’ Markets.

Purchasing Christmas items throughout the year, and on clearance, is another way to lesson the financial load. Buying out of season tends to be cost-effective because as a general rule: when demand is low, prices are low. This doesn’t only apply to larger items like BBQ’s and bicycles, but to more affordable items such

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