December 21, 2010
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Downsizing Christmas
I am discovering this Christmas is very different from past ones due to our financial downsizing. I can remember spending hours and weeks shopping for the family and then just as long wrapping. Then there were weeks of baking and delivering goodies to friends and loved ones. By the time Christmas came (and even up to the night before) I was still running back to the stores thinking I didn’t have enough and looking for just ‘one more gift’. I crawled out of bed on Christmas morning feeling beyond exhaustion. It was fun in a crazy, insane kind of way. But, living on less money has brought it’s own kind of peace in the midst of the chaotic storm of December that I’m frankly enjoying.
I can remember reading excerpts from Laine’s Letters on her gift giving budget of $3.00 per person and wondering how anyone could buy a decent gift for that amount. (She made a specific effort to point out that she prayed for the Lord to give her ‘eyes to see’ before she entered a store). The thought stuck with me and now, more than 8 plus years since I first read her letters, I am seeing that it’s very possible to give less and still bless the person you are gifting. I love to look back over the years and see how the Lord has brought different people into my life that have radically impacted my way of thinking and prepared me for the life that He has given me the past few years.
This year I cut my gift giving budget down to a third of what we normally spend. Practically speaking that means I targeted to spend $20.00 on each grandchild. The adults have exchanged names this year with a $20.00 budget per gift. I have 7 grandchildren that I buy gifts for. I also have 3 birthdays in December. I asked their parents to give me suggestions which was very helpful and then I watched the sales. I was able to find a nice gift for each child… one that they had hoped for.
A few of the BEST gifts I received for Christmas last year
performing for Grammy!!!
Staying out of the stores this time of year has been essential to sticking with my budget. I’ve had one point this month (thankfully it was while I was at home) that I panicked feeling that I had not given enough. If I had been in the stores regularly or reading the sale ads I’m sure I would have given into the pressure to buy more. When I really took time to look at the panic I realized it was a fear that my grandchildren would not love me as much because I was unable to buy them more. Once I evaluated the fear I could see it was ridiculous.. I am not loved because of what I can or cannot give at Christmas. If I am.. then we have a serious problem.
As much as I love to give gifts I can see the downsizing as a very good thing (if received in a godly manner) to not be bombarded with every material thing the heart desires. Do you remember that episode of Little House on the Prairie where the children were snowed in and it looked like they were not going to receive any gifts for Christmas? Remember Mr. Edwards? He came at the very last minute and brought oranges I believe and maybe a few small trinkets. The children (and Mrs. Ingall) were overwhelmed with gratefulness. Can you imagine the response from a child in this generation if they were given just an orange as a gift? Their expectations have been raised by the abundance of a prosperous time in the history of our nation. As our economy (and the nations) downsizes I’m hoping so will their expectations.
There will not be the crazy wild tearing of a gazillion packages with paper flying everywhere this year. I’ll kind of miss that in one way. I do love to give and see the excitement on a child’s face when they see a mountain of presents. But, my heart is content knowing that God has sovereignly assigned the amount of money He has given and it is all working into His plan for my good and therefore the good of my children and grandchildren and all involved. That contentment brings far greater pleasure than a mountain of gifts ever could.
I continue to learn in God’s school that age old lesson that Paul spoke about several thousand years ago …
But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 1 Tim 6:6-9 NASB
Has your family cut back on your budget for Christmas this year? How has it effected you personally? What did you do to cut back?
Comments (9)
Our family has cut back. As I read your post of bygone days of shopping, baking, wrapping, to the point of total exhaustion on Christmas morning, I could definitely relate, in fact, I could have written that myself. This year the really was not the conscious effort of planning to downsize, just the underlying thoughts of not wanting to use a credit card. I must admit that being sick and staying out of the stores much of Dec. helped my efforts greatly. I was a bit nervous when we made out trek north with about half as many packages as last year but the grands were still happy with what they got and no one mentioned their was not the usual amount of gifts. I think as grandmothers we tend to want to give our grands everything. I sent a small box to NC to my southern grands and they called and were very excited with what they got. (I put a note to open before Christmas) I sometimes think kids are overwhelmed with the amount of stuff they get and they appreciate it all a little and getting less helps them appreciate it more.
we’ve cut back this year and I am already making plans to cut back even more next year
I do remember that episode of Little House. One of the gifts was a metal cup for drinking. Mary and Laura had been sharing a cup and with this gift, they would each have their own cup. Can you imagine having to live as simply as to have 1 cup for 2 children to share?
We have cut back over the yrs too. I think it is sad to see how many gifts the little ones get. They don’t even remember who gave them the gift because there are to many. They can’t even play with all of them. nor do they want too. The one big gift takes precident. Mom sometimes has to even put some of them away till they get borded with what they are playing with. Just to much!
Merry Chistmas to you and your family! May God Bless you in the new yr.
Sharon
My husband is a seasonal worker and it really slows down this time of year…so we’ve always had to be careful about our Christmas spending. Some years are leaner than others and for several years he worked for a company that gave a huge Christmas bonus but we’ve always preset a dollar amount per person and stuck to it. I grew up where we got one “big” present and a small one and our stockings stuffed…I pretty much raised my kids the same way. Up till this year my mom would get the kids each a little something but this year she decided to take the amount she spends on all her grandchildren and make a donation in their name. They are old enough to see how much they have and feel blessed that Grandma would honor them in this way.
I buy for my 4 nephews and neice but just a little something. We stopped doing the adult gift exchange several years ago when my brother and sister got each other the exact same gift card and we all agreed it was just silly, save our money and enjoy the time together without the pressure of having to go out and “buy” a gift. Now I find I tend to pick up just a little something for a few dollars per family and attach it to the Christmas card. I stopped gift exchanging with anyone outside the family many years ago…it just got to be too much and since I’m not a “shopper” at heart…I never enjoy trying to pick out a gift…I’ve never felt bad about it. I know what I can and can’t afford and I hope my friends know I love them!
Anyways, I’m sure we all have our own way of doing things and things probably do change up from year to year as finance and circumstance allows.
Merry Christmas!
I’m looking forward to the year we don’t do any presents at all!!
My parents always take the grandchildren on a group trip somewhere like Knott’s Berry Farm, a science center, or a simple day excursion as their gift to them. The parents go along and pay their own way. This year it’s to be the Fleet Exploratorium in Balboa Park with a simulator ride and an IMAX movie. It makes lasting memories that stick longer than a toy would.
@manuelmusings - That is such an awesome idea! Really great! We’ll have to give that some thought! Thanks so much!
We have cut back this year. I am not buying gifts for extended family.The small kids have toys in boxes and clothes with tags.
My own kids are 18 and 13 (x2) are doing small gifts this year we have decided to forgo presents next year and give to a local boys home.
Merry Christmas my friend!
We also set a limit per person and my dear husband helps me keep a balance. Some years back my sisters and I stopped giving each other gifts. It feels hard at first but then it becomes a new normal. Thank you for sharing your heart.