Organically Inclined » Christmas shopping

I’m Not Shopping Today- Are You?

Mish — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:52:05 +0000

Today is Black Friday. I just watched a news spot where people actually skipped their Thanksgiving dinner yesterday in order to wait in line in front of a box store and get that thing they want for cheap! I am stunned. In fact, I am stunned every year. I can’t believe what people will go through in order to spend their money. I mean really, if I’m going to stand in line for hours, someone had better be giving me something!

Before you run out the door and spend money on another cheap plastic something – decide if you really wouldn’t rather stay home, enjoy the day with your kids and read a book or watch a movie.

Why? Why avoid the sales and stay home? Well, I believe that by celebrating a “Buy Nothing” day we send a message to retailers and manufacturers that we don’t want their cheap crap anymore. I don’t want my kids to play with it. And I’m tired of it accumulating in my house.

Instead of buying things today – make something. Or check out freecycle.org. Or, if you must go out – go to thrift stores!

Technorati Tags: buy nothing day, christmas, Christmas shopping, shopping

Don’t Go Into Debt This Christmas – Part 1

Mish — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:22:23 +0000

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It is. I love Christmas. I love the lights and the snow and the excitement and anticipation.

I don’t mind shopping…at least a little of it. This year, with the economy in the state it’s in, apparently the retailers are already grumbling about their low expectations for the “shopping” season. Well, let me give you a little advice – don’t feel bad for the retailers. And don’t feel bad for yourself either. Whether you only have $10 to your name or $10,000, Christmas can still be a time of wonder – expecially if you have children.

The first thing you have to do to prepare yourself for a debt-free, frugal – yet fun Christmas – is sit down and get the notion out of your head that you have to spend a lot of money at Christmas. You have to get the image of the tree with TONS of presents under it out of your head. You also have to get it out of your head that you are going to need a credit card to get through Christmas. You don’t. Snip it up now. There is no reason that you need to pay interest on stuff for Christmas. Please, I’m begging you, don’t do it.

Visualize your Christmas without huge amounts of debt. Visualize having cash in hand at Christmas.

OK – now that you can see your Christmas, you have to convince your kids of the same.

The best, most important move you can make to this end is to turn off your TV. Shut it down. Limit your kids to movies and PBS. No more commercial television. It will save you $40 or $70 a month – and a ton at Christmas. The year that we shut off our satellite TV, my kids asked me for things like books and art supplies and sleds. The year before we shut it off, I was getting requests for things like “stinkblasters” (utterly disgusting) and whatever the newest, hottest video game system was at the time.

Then, before you have a Christmas chat with your children, take a look at your local community calendar. Are there any performances you can take them to? Often, community theater will have a production of A Christmas Carol that is inexpensive to bring the kids to. Also, look for church performances of Christmas carols (even if you aren’t religious) as well as opportunities to volunteer in the community – at a food bank or shelter. Schedule times to look at light displays. When we lived in Green Bay, we spent one Friday night each week in December at the zoo, the arboretum and driving around the neighborhoods, looking at all of the lights. We brought along hot chocolate and had a wonderful time.

Go and find a local farm where you can take a sleigh ride and cut down your own Christmas tree. This adds to the anticipation and fun – without being just another day in the mall!

By loading your calendar up with Christmas activities you can extend the season – without making it all about lists and shopping!

Then, you need to have a chat with your kids. If your kids traditionally have gotten everything they have asked for at Christmas (and I was one of these kids when I was younger), you’ll need to make it clear that you are changing the focus of Christmas this year. Show them all of the cool activities you have planned. If they roll their eyes, ignore them…and don’t let them “out” of the planned events. No one gets to stay home and play on the computer!

Then explain how you have spent too much – or perhaps even gone into debt each year just to buy a lot of stuff no one plays with anymore or that breaks or whatever. Have a couple of examples ready if you need proof.

If you are able to get gifts this year, tell the kids to take a few days and come up with one thing – ONE – thing, that if they didn’t see it under the tree on Christmas morning, they’d be really bummed out. Tell them that no one will be getting gifts over a certain dollar amount – so that if they say their one thing is a new iPod that you can’t afford, they will be prepared. Also, tell them you want them to come up with ways to give the family gifts that cost very little – and that you’ll help them make presents or come up with ideas.

Last year, my then nine-year-old was learning how to bake. He baked everyone in the family a small, individual banana bread. We were all surprised that he had thought of this all on his own- and everyone munched on their bread while opening their gifts! He felt proud for making something everyone enjoyed and didn’t spend a dime on presents (as I graciously donated the ingredients to the cause).

I will post more on this topic in the weeks to come, but it is important to be upfront and honest with your kids. If they believe in Santa – be honest, tell him everyone is cutting back, including Santa – or tell them that Santa makes all the toys…he doesn’t make iPods and computers and video game consoles. Those he has to buy, and he is low on cash this Christmas!

Technorati Tags: christmas, Christmas shopping, debt-free, frugal christmas, homemade christmas

Homemade Christmas Gifts

Mish — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:30:29 +0000

OK – It’s September – and what does that mean around here? It means that I have to start preparing for Christmas! Well, don’t get too annoyed with me, it’s not like I make it a full-time job or anything, but I do, at this time of year, start thinking about and working on my homemade Christmas presents. Also, because I have a lot of kids, I try and start picking up purchased items as well.

It’s a lot easier for me to pick up a gift card at the grocery store with my normal grocery trip in September, than to buy five gift cards in December! I’m not a fantastic saver, so I try and space things out a bit. I also start looking on eBay for great gift ideas.

I do make up cookie baskets for a lot of my acquaintences and clients at Christmas. I love to bake and I try and bake a wide variety of interesting cookies that we don’t normally make at Christmas. Then, I drive around town one day before Christmas and drop-off the baskets. It’s a really fun tradition.

I also love to knit, so while I do not punish my children by giving them only homemade presents – I do try and make them each a little something. For example, last year, I found a cool lime green and black yarn and knit my middle son a pair of “wristies” – those fingerless mittens that kids seem to love.

I’ve knit pillowcases and hats and made preserves and picture frames and scrapbooks. In fact, I just found a great project that I’d like to try this year at Jane’s Apron.

They’re pillowcase loungepants! Is that not the cutest thing ever? I can’t wait to get my sewing machine and try making a pair!

Anyone else have a great homemade Christmas gift idea? Please share!

Technorati Tags: christmas, Christmas shopping, frugal, gifts, homemade gifts