To coin a popular phrase, holidays are coming! Ding dong merrily on high! And although it seems to roll around quicker every year (Christmas stuff at the end of August? Have a word Lidl), now is the time to get down to some festive cheer. However, if the thought of the imminent season coming to punch you in the wallet doesn’t instill joy to your world, it could be time for a factory reset harder than the most recent Sugababes lineup. Dial down on the spends and tune in on the spirit of gift giving by utilising some simple ideas to stop money worries derailing your Christmas faster than a Just Stop Oil protest.
Secret Santa
You know it, you’ve probably been involved in such office-based shenanigans that have seen Andy from accounts smiling through the pain of a musical pen or Lucy from reception receiving a passive aggressive slogan mug that refers to her indifferent telephone manner. But the concept is more adaptable than single use novelties. If you have a large family or an extensive group of friends, you can easily minimise costs by enrolling everyone in a Secret Santa. You can go old school and pick names from a hat or you can adopt 21st Century advances and allow the internet to assist you. www.elfster.com has a free to use Secret Santa generator that will allocate names for you. Set a budget of your choice, a date to exchange presents and away you go; with the inherent saving of cutting ten gifts down to one. Just maybe think twice about the edible underwear. Some things have never been funny.
Make or Regift
When I say regifting, I’m not suggesting you wrap up that bottle of perfume you opened but the scent of it gave you the ick. But then again, if you did receive a bottle of claret vino you’ll never drink because red wine tastes like sucking on loose change, why not pass it along to your Merlot-loving friend? Got a book you couldn’t put down but also have a to-read list longer than Inspector Gadget’s arm, why not share that paperback with a friend? Gifted an ugly tie that is right up unhinged Uncle Bob’s street? You know what to do with it. It’s less ‘I don’t want this’ and more ‘they’ll love this’ vibes.
If regifting isn’t your scene, why not make something? Knit it, bake it, brew a batch of homemade gin. It’s easy enough to forage sloe berries and infuse them with sugar and spirits before distributing into Kilner jars. Or bake and decorate some personalised cookies. www.bbcgoodfood.com has plenty of recipes to give food for festive thought. Get the kids involved. Not in the gin-making part; and only dispense that to those of legal age. But if you have some underage Picassos in your custody, get them to draw some pictures and make a 2024 calendar for nan. Use an app like Free Prints – where you only pay for postage – and create a photo collage. Paint a pot and pot a plant for the chlorophyll inclined. Play to your strengths and their interests for maximum festive cheer. And don’t worry family of mine, I promise not to pass off my culinary misdemeanors as baked goods this year.
Be the gift
Not in the literal sense. No-one wants to adopt a 38-year-old with a penchant for Meg Ryan movies and a troublesome relationship with carbs. Trust me, I’ve asked around. Rather, give your time. Let’s be honest, when the end of your days roll around, you won’t be thinking about all the socks you unwrapped on Christmas morning. The greatest gift you can give is good memories. And the good news is time is free! Unless you’re Elon Musk and if he’s honest with himself, he could probably use his more wisely. Swap out those slippers and offer to take someone out for a coffee. Draw up some babysitting coupons for that couple you know who could use the break. Cut grandad’s lawn and play some Scrabble. Mutually agree to forgo presents with friends in the name of a dinner date. Get dressed up and fall in some bushes after a seasonal bottomless brunch. For 2023, it’s giving presence, not presents.
So, give yourself the gift of declining debt and avoid the contact sport that is Christmas shopping by realigning the meaning of gift giving. Give a little bit of you for Christmas; even Mariah Carey isn’t asking for more.