Semi-clothed Christmas run?! Credit: albany_tim/Flickr
Each and every December my Mom cautioned me, my sisters, and brothers in her most sad, prudent voice. “This Christmas, there is not going to be as many presents as last year.”
Perhaps she was worried about spending too much money on presents. Perhaps she was trying to keep our expectations in check. Or maybe she was just tired of shopping. If you are in the same boat as my Mom, here are my top five solutions to cope.
1. Hold a White Elephant Gift Exchange instead of everyone trading gifts with everyone else. Setting the gift target low, like $10 each, emphasizes the comical nature of the exchange and depressurizes familial relationships.
How it works: everyone buys a gift that fits with the target spending amount, in this case $10. The gift should be appropriate for anyone in the family. Each person brings their gift wrapped and completely unmarked to the exchange, then puts their name into a hat. The first person whose name is drawn gets first pick of the presents. The second name drawn can either “steal” the opened present or unwrap a new one. The third person can “steal” either of the opened gifts or try their luck with a wrapped one. If your gift is stolen, you can’t steal it back, but you can steal another gift that has been opened or you can open a new gift.
Tip: I find the most fun exchanges are when participants encourage stealing. But keep in mind a gift can only be stolen twice. The third owner is the final owner.
The stealing and unwrapping continues until everyone’s name has been drawn. That’s when the first person who went (who never got a chance to steal) may make one last steal, which sets off a chain reaction of other steals. Or, they can chose to keep their current gift.
Tip: Couples or roommates can work together to secure coveted presents for the other.
In a White Elephant Gift Exchange, used, er, vintage gifts are totally acceptable as long as they are clean and in working condition. Any items that need batteries should have a fresh set in them.
Tip: This kind of gift exchange works best for groups of adults.
2. Forgo gifts for a day of volunteering or a family outing. Spending time with my family grows more important than receiving a physical gift each year. This Christmas, we are going ice skating together! Helping those less fortunate is a great way to remember just how fortunate you are.
Tip: If your family is immobile or spread across the country, a good alternative is for each person to make a charitable contribution in the family’s name. Share the charities everyone donated to, but not the amount.
3. Conduct an anonymous Secret Santa Exchange. A few weeks before the holiday, participating family members take turns drawing one name from a hat. If you draw your name or that of your partner/spouse, put it back and draw again. Buy a gift only for the person whose name you draw. Decide as a group what the spending limit will be, generally $10-$75.
Bring your gift wrapped and addressed to the recipient. But do not say who it is from. Secret Santa Exchanges are anonymous, though it often comes out who drew whom.
4. Go homemade. Bobbi, who writes for BargainBabe.com, suggested many thoughtful homemade gifts earlier today. Homemade gifts are a great money saver, though they may require just as much time as hitting the malls.
5. Give the gift of time. Instead of spending cash, spend your time. Options include babysitting, yard work, running errands, picking up carpool shifts, dropping in with dinner, and household cleaning. Who says no to help?
How are you saving money this holiday season?
November 24th, 2010 at 11:28 am
I could keep shopping and shopping for my teenage girls (because it’s so fun), so I decided to just STOP where I was (pretty good amount of booty for both of them already, actually), and give them both an envelope with $100. They will be ecstatic to get the cash and I will have saved probably another $300 I would have spent in more stuff!
November 24th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
My father and mother-in-law started a tradition 60 years ago; Exchanging “crazy gifts”. Instead of buying something (most of their group couldn’t afford to do), they would find (or make) something that had a meaning to the recipient, but was probably useless (i.e. an old rusty typewriter) for someone who typed (not handwrote) letters to his/her friends. We have continued the tradition and everyone looks forward to the crazy gifts more than any of the other presents.
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:12 pm
1. Regifting a couple of gift cards. (Is there a word for that? There should be.)
2. The dollar store. Seriously: A pristine hardback copy of “Evensong” for a buck.
3. Using rewards points to “buy” gift cards. (My daughter and son-in-law’s main gift is $100 in Visa GCs from a rewards program.)
4. Homemade jam, made with gleaned fruit, on-sale sugar and thrift-store mason jars. Approximate cost is 27 cents per, and people go mad for the stuff.
5. Gifts I bought at last year’s clearance sales.
6. Gifts I bought at yard sales.
7. Gifts I bought with GCs that I got from taking online surveys.
December 2nd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
@Donna Freedman Thanks for these additions! I’ve never made jam, but I made pumpkin bread last night (Joy of Cooking p. 624) and it turned out perfect. I added a few chocolate chips and walnuts to each loaf, which are optional. I’m going to make a bunch of mini-loafs (using four tins I bought at a thrift store for $1), wrap them in plastic wrap and tissue paper, tie each with a bow and voila! Instant gift.