The Most Important Gift You’ll Give This Christmas

One of the biggest stresses of Christmas is in the gift-giving. Fighting crowds at Walmart, overspending when you’re on a tight budget and getting sucked into the trap of consumerism instead of Christmas cheer can happen to all of us. To help you survive (and even enjoy) the Christmas season this year, I’ve put together a short gift-giving guide below.

These gifts below are designed to create wonderful memories without extra financial debt. Remember, above all, your time is the most valuable gift you can give to your loved ones.

For your Spouse…

Time together alone with you is a great (and romantic) gift. Even if it’s just one night at a local bed and breakfast while someone watches your kids, that one night away together could be more valuable than whatever electronic gadget or new sweater you were planning to give.

For more gift ideas for your spouse, check out these tee shirts guaranteed to make your spouse smile and read my recent post on 3 gifts your husband actually wants.

For your Kids…

If your kids (or grandkids) are young, chances are they’ve probably already got more toys, movies and electronic devices than they actually need. We’re trying to help our kids remember the true meaning of Christmas by helping others. We’re taking a chunk of our gift budget this year and donating it to help throw a Christmas party for the kids at Casa Shalom Orphanage. Finding a cause to invest in together or a local charity where you can serve together will give your kids something much more valuable than more toys in the back of their closets. We’ll still be giving our kids gifts, but I’m hoping the gift of helping others is what they remember the most from this year.

For your extended family…

I know what you’re thinking…Gift Cards! That’s probably what they’re expecting. The annual “gift card exchange” has become the norm, but with a little planning ahead, you can spend the same amount of money and send them a much more memorable personalized gift. Something with their name on it is ideal. One year, I bought my father-in-law a small metal tub for ice and drinks with his last name. It said, “McCray’s Pub” on it. It only cost around $25, but he uses it all the time and leaves it out on display when he’s not using it. There are countless websites doing cheap engraving and personalizing.

For your friends…

Like with everyone else on your list, thoughtfulness trumps money every time. Give something meaningful, funny or personalized to close friends, but don’t feel like you have to buy gifts for everyone you know. Cut back and simplify. We’ve even stopped sending out Christmas cards. We figured the people we’d send a card to are on Facebook, so we’ll just post a picture and wish everyone a Merry Christmas online and save the time and money to do something else.

Above all, don’t let the commercialized stress of the season rob you of the joy of the season. Slow down and enjoy the memories you’re making with your loved ones! For more on this, check out my recent post on “9 ways to survive (and enjoy) the holidays.”

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