Economic experts are predicting that Christmas spending will be down again this year. In fact, they say it will be down from last year, which was pretty dismal too.

Most families anywhere can tell you this is the case without getting the official word from “experts.” Our own expert sense of where the economy is, for us personally, tells us that our own Christmas spending will likely be on a limited budget.

I don’t really see this as a bad thing, though. As I’ve mentioned before, downsizing Christmas is really just a step in the direction of turning Christmas away from commercialism and back to families and traditions.

Of course, downsizing is only possible to accomplish with careful planning and organization of gift buying. Here is how I’ve downsized Christmas in our house.

1.       Limit the number of gifts you give. Many families draw names or just have nieces and nephews exchange gifts. Consider pairing down your list of neighbors, friends, and co-workers that are on your gift list, too. It may be hard, but it’s worth it if it eliminates an obligatory gift that you give and one that they offer you in return.

 

2.       Go homemade. I’m the last person to call myself crafty, but I think it’s so much more fun and meaningful to handcraft a gift than to purchase one. Before you think about getting out the glue gun, consider all kinds of homemade projects like jewelry, photography, and edibles. Others may choose to offer service to one another instead of exchanging traditional wrapped gifts.

 

For those that enjoy whipping up stuff in the kitchen, homemade gestures such as homemade salsa and chips, applesauce, jam, or baked goods are always easy on the budget. Looking for something healthier than a plate of cookies or a loaf of sweet bread? Wrap a pineapple in a bow and share it with friends and neighbors Hawaiian style. Or maybe a basket full of clementines? Healthy eaters really appreciate a naturally sweet gift amongst the many plates of frosted cookies.

 

3.       Choose only three gifts for your children. I get a lot of grief over this concept, believe or not, but the grief doesn’t come from our own children. My kids have never felt deprived from this limitation on gifts; instead, they embrace it because they know what to expect.

 

It’s actually a fun challenge to shop for these gifts because you can’t buy all of the fun things you see on store shelves. Instead you have to really think about what they really want and carefully decide which items are most important.

 

In our home, we’ve taught our children from a young age that they will receive three meaningful and deliberate gifts on Christmas Day just as the baby Jesus received three gifts to celebrate His birth. The areas we’ve designated for gift giving are 1) something that is just for fun,  2) something to stimulate their brain,  3) something to stimulate their spirit.

 

Before you label me Mrs. Scrooge, we do fill their stockings with small items and candy from Santa. My children are all still believers in the jolly bearded man (some a bit more skeptical than others about this “truth”) so they also receive their gift they requested from Santa.

 

I’ve received accolades for this idea in more abundance than I’ve received opposition over the years. Most who have tried my idea for a season have stuck with it and carried it on in future years. If you’re looking for ways to save money at Christmas or just looking for ways to find Christmas again I highly recommend downsizing your Christmas.

 

Question: Are you planning to downsize your Christmas? If so, what are you doing?