Jingle All the Way
Hard to believe the holidays are just about here, but they are. This joyous time of year is filled with family gatherings, office parties, cookie swaps…and stress. Lots of stress. And I’m not talking the agita you feel when your grandparents ask why you haven’t given them great-grandchildren yet. I’m talking about the stress you feel when you think of all the money you have to spend on gifts, decorations, food, gifts, outfits, and more gifts. Oh, and all the bills you somehow have to continue making payments on during the season. It can be overwhelming. But we’ve got to take a step back here. We don’t <em>have</em> to spend all that money and fall behind on our bills and throw ourselves into debt every year. The holidays have somehow morphed into a cruel, commercialized joke on us. What happened to just getting together and enjoying each other’s company and being thankful for what/who we have and making memories that’ll last way longer than the iPhone 5 or whatever outrageous gift someone spent a fortune on? Sure, if you can afford to shower everyone you know with a thoughtful and/or extravagant gift, have at it. But if you’re strapped for cash and you’re stressing about making ends meet, don’t lose sight of what’s important. Pay your rent so you can keep a roof over your head, your electric bill so you’ve got lights & heat, and your car loan so you’re able to get to all those fabulous parties and have a little fun. This time of year should be cause for celebration, not collection calls.
This isn’t an anti-gift post, though! As much as I believe gifts aren’t necessarily a necessity, I do enjoy giving them. So here’s a great <a href=”http://happyherbivore.com/2011/11/holiday-holiday-money-savings/”>post</a> from last year that offers helpful tips for holiday budgeting and great ideas for gift-giving. Check it out and see if you can’t put some of it to use… just don’t forget what the holidays are really all about. Enjoy the aseason!