Santa on a Budget

Playing Santa without a budget can destroy your finances for many months after the Christmas season becomes a fond memory. Many parents will struggle between wanting to make the holiday “magical” but realize the bills for January will still arrive on time. After all gifts from Santa are free and from the North Pole. What is there to worry about?

Family values

As the holiday deadlines intensify and the gift list grows longer it is difficult for Santa to find or afford the perfect gift for everyone. A practical way to look at the “wish list” is to determine the real wants and needs from impulsive desires. Some families will limit the number of gifts for each child to three since that is what Jesus Christ received from the three Wise Men. Other families will draw names or make a personal gift for each other. Another option to consider would be for Santa to give one special gift to each child and the family could exchange smaller gifts with each other.

You could start by having each child make a list of the top five gifts they would like to receive. Have them look through catalogs for ideas and discuss if the items are too expensive, too dangerous, or not a part of your family values. If they don’t meet your criteria, you can remove them from the list. You don’t have to turn into a Grinch but limit gifts to the affordable items that the family has shown they truly desire.

Move beyond money

Don’t feel obliged to buy your children everything that they want. Discuss the guidelines and give them opportunities to earn the item that Santa can’t bring so they can develop personal responsibility. Also the Christmas season can give you opportunities to teach your children the joy of giving to others. You could help them to buy a gift with their own money for a family living in a shelter or daycare of a charitable organization. They could visit elderly neighbors to assist with any chores that are difficult for them to do. The family could clean out their closets and donate gently used clothing that is too small and would be a blessing to someone in need. The measurement of a gift is not the dollar amount but the love that was given with it.

Holiday Gifts:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect. –Oren Arnold

And.....Merry Christmas to all!