Avoiding Holiday Insanity

Happy Holidays!

What a nice thing to hear...and what a stressful time of year it is for many people. For anyone celebrating Holidays, whether Christmas, Kwanzaa or the upcoming Chinese New Year, there are usually excesses and expectations which come along with the celebrations. We all love celebrating, but many of us share the secret dread of escalating Holiday costs. Visits with cherished friends and loved ones are more frequent this time of year, and everywhere we go we feel the obligation to bring 'a little something.' From the office to the doorman to our kids' teachers, it seems the expenses add up without our even noticing it sometimes. Even the preparation of all those wonderful Holiday dishes and desserts to share at gatherings can get expensive.

While it is not easy to cut back on what we feel is necessary for the Holidays, there are some ways in which we can gain perspective, so that we don't lose our heads and go overboard. Try the following this year to help create a more memorable and less financially painful Holiday experience for you and your loved ones:

  • Family traditions can be a great way to bring meaning to the Holidays, and most do not cost much, if anything. When I was young, for instance, we used to make homemade decorations for our Christmas tree, such as strings of cranberries and popcorn, and glass balls with glued sparkling designs on them. For households with young kids, these kinds of Holiday traditions will be what they always remember, because you are spending time with them and they appreciate that more than anything else. If you don't have any traditions, try creating some new ones!
  • Remembering the less fortunate is always a good idea, but this is especially true at the Holidays. Just when you think you are running out of money, remind yourself that there are millions of people who do not have the luxury of celebrating any Holidays in the way that you do. A little donation can go a long way, particularly in poverty-stricken or war-torn countries. Sponsor a family or a child, or donate to the Salvation army or any number of needy charities. Not only does a person or family benefit from your generosity; it also feels great to know you are part of a solution, and it helps cultivate that connected feeling that is such a cherished part of any celebration.

    One organization that is doing fantastic things is KIVA, which helps by lending money for small business ideas in poverty-stricken areas of the world. For more information, please visit http://www.kiva.org/.
  • If you simply cannot donate money, try donating a little of your time. You will serve as an inspiration and a role model by helping others. Soup kitchens, shelters, surrogate Santa programs and the Salvation Army are just a few places where you could offer a little help this season. There is never a shortage of need.

  • Here's a really great idea for gaining perspective and saving money: Remember the credit card bills last year. Often, people are hit with sticker shock after Holiday time, because the shopping and eating done in celebration was done in small increments, and seems easier to justify little by little. They then spend the first pasrt of the New Year regretting their excesses, but by next year they have forgotten this painful feeling. If you do not pay your credit cards off in full every month and would like a real eye-opener, go back and look at last year's statements: you may still be paying for last year's purchases, and possibly many times over once interest is factored in.

  • Life is short and transient. Every year, it seems, we lose at least one person whom we have loved, and new people come into our lives. We do not always acknowledge the people we've lost when we are celebrating; sometimes it seems awkward to say anything, or just too painful. Perhaps we can change this, and begin to treat Holiday celebrations with reverence for all life, which includes remembrance of and gratitude for those we have loved and lost. Try creating a speech to commemorate someone who cannot be with you for the Holidays. Light a candle for them, and celebrate their life with joy. This can make Holidays much more personal, memorable and meaningful.

  • Be honest with your friends and family. You love them no matter what, and money should have nothing to do with it. If you are feeling - usually unspoken - social pressure to buy gifts and food all the time, chances are they are too. Perhaps you could all get together and have a money-saving potluck, and instead commit to investing some of your saved money wisely. Tell people how much you care about them, and simply explain that expressing that with presents just isn't an option this year. You may be surprised at how much they understand and appreciate your sentiment.

Whatever you do, stay safe and dream big dreams for the New Year. By saving more money now, you can start the new year wisely and with confidence. This is the most difficult time of the year, financially, for many people to get through. If you can do it and feel great about it, you're well on your way to having a fantastic 2008. Cheers!

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