This Christmas, Don't Break the Bank!

Now that Turkey Day is behind us, you are probably turning your attention to Christmas, that is, if you haven’t already surrendered to the Christmas music that’s been playing on loop in stores since Halloween!

How does Christmas shopping usually go for you? Do you buy too much? Spend too much? Have no idea what you bought everyone so you keep shopping all month long? Do you buy gifts that people don’t seem to use or care about just so they have something to unwrap?

Growing up the only girl and also the baby of my family, I’ll be the first to admit I was spoiled. Nowhere was that more evident than at Christmas. The Christmas tree was piled high with gifts, many, many of which were for me. And as a child of 80’s rampant consumerism and Sunday morning cartoon toy commercials, I wanted EVERYTHING. And worse, I couldn’t wait to see what I would get so I would snoop around in my parent’s closet in the days before Christmas, trying to see through gaps in the wrapping paper to see what I was getting.

I am not proud of this impatience and greed for STUFF. Sadly, I can’t say I am much better these days! HA!  I still put too much stock in how happy an object or product will make me. I am still impatient about getting my grubby little hands on the new shiny object. I admit, if I am super excited about something I bought online, I will keep checking Amazon orders to see what the hell is taking so long to get it here already.

Fun aside, here is my confession:  I really do not like this about myself. I’ve tried to change, and my husband, being a very patient and gratification-delaying person, has rubbed off on me a good deal. But in the end, I am still the same.

But, as GI-Joe told us during those 80’s cartoons, Knowing is Half the Battle! Knowing I have a problem and wanting to change is the first step. The second, is putting practical, real-world tools in place to help me be more intentional, aware, and purposeful in what I buy both for myself and for others.

Now that I am an organizer, every day I see that a gift can ADD to people’s burdens. People feel they must keep this thing they don’t want just because it was a gift from a loved one, and isn’t it the gift that counts? I say baloney to that idea.  A gift only counts if it is something the person will love, use or cherish. Otherwise it will be clutter.

Remember, it is not the amount of gifts that matter (though commercials want us to believe otherwise). One amazing gift the person loves is far better than 60 gifts they will have to donate, hide or trash a month from now.

Keeping track of your purchases and carefully recording your gift ideas will keep you within your budget and help you make sure your gifts are perfect for the person you are giving it to. Want a cute chart to help that happen? Click here for a HOLIDAY SHOPPING PLANNER CHART.

Stay on top of your Holiday shopping with this Holiday SHOPPING Planning Chart