How did money affect you this holiday season? Did it affect you at all? Did you overspend? Did you work within a tight budget? Did you feel guilt or anxiety over how much you spent? Did you find yourself wishing you could spend more, or wishing you had spent less? Did money control the way you gave, and did it influence the way you received?
This is the third Christmas when I haven't worried about money. I don't know how I ever enjoyed Christmas in years past, knowing bills were coming our way in January. I would be completely stressed out if I knew a credit card bill would be on its way soon. I couldn't enjoy the holidays that way.
We started the Dave Ramsey program in October 2003 and paid off our last consumer debt in April 2005 (we still have a mortgage). We don't use credit cards; instead, we put aside a certain amount of money each month so we have a decent Christmas budget in November. The budget includes everyone we need to buy for as well as any charity donations we plan on making in December.
Two years ago my husband and I decided to limit our kids to three gifts each, following the tradition of the Magi that visited baby Jesus (each brought one gift.) It has really trimmed our budget, and the kids enjoy what they do receive MUCH more. We have found that we also put a lot more thought into what we buy for the kids.
I always wish I could spend more money at Christmas, but not on my kids. My favorite part of Christmas has become the charitable giving. There's never enough money for that, in my opinion. I could give and give and give.
In November we do the shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. We pack one box for each member of our family. The kids have really enjoyed participating in buying the items we place in the boxes, as well as the packing of the boxes. I love walking into our church on the designated day and seeing all of the shoeboxes piled high. I would love to follow those boxes one day, to be able to hand them out to the kids who receive them. Man, what a trip that would be.
We also choose angels from the Salvation Army Angel Tree every year. Our church sets up one, and we look for kids that match our kids' ages. We have a blast shopping for the kids, and our children enjoy picking out clothes and toys for their "angels". I hope our children get as much out of this process as I do, and that as they grow older they will always remember that it's not all about them at Christmas.
My family has been blessed beyond measure. I'm a firm believer in the passage found in Luke 12:48. It says, " From everyone who has been given much, much will be required..." I feel like because I have been so richly blessed, it is my duty to give back. I love to give, and I try to do it as often as I can.
Did you find yourself wishing you could spend more, or wishing you had spent less?
I definitely wish I could give more. Always. I just love to give!
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