Once you remove your mind from that terrible stigma of Christmas being a time to spend money on useless crap, you’ll live better – even when economic times are great.

Christmas. Is. Not. About. Gifts.

Much to your point, Trent, there are a great many people who are hurting this year, so why not give a little cheer to them rather than to some of the people we regularly give to. Perhaps it is a good time to look at some charities, organizations, or families that are in need and give a little to them.

And if you can do it in the name of the person that would usually give a present, it is honoring to them.

You make a memory for them AND yourself….

However, what to do about the gifts that are “expected” to be given to various family members? I bet we’ll still spend over $1,000 on presents this year – and it will be all “stuff” no one really needs anyway. I don’t mind buying presents for our young nieces and nephews, but for the older adults it seems silly.

So the jobless people who have lost significant portions of their net worth should be consoled that the looters have not yet taken away their ability to derive simple pleasures from their family and friends.

“We’ll be find and dandy
Lord, it’s like a hard candy Christmas
We’re barely getting through tomorrow
But still we won’t let sorrow bring us way down.”
Dolly Parton

The money we would have spent on small gifts for the 30 adults will be sent to the food bank as a contribution from our family. and we asked, please, that no one give us material gifts, although we would be delighted if they made a contribution in our name to Habitat, Heifer or any food-providing agency.

This is the truth. It is good that people this year are going to focus on the “more important” things in life.

But what is sad is that it took this economy “crisis” in order for people’s focus to change. Truth be told, when you look at the statistics (Most people living 2 paychecks from bankruptcy etc etc), most people’s own personal economy has ALWAYS BEEN BAD!

So maybe we should make a LIFE LONG commitment to focus on what is important, and our finances will be better in the long run!

If money is tight in a home, I would suggest that parents give their kids a board/card game or two and then spend the day learning to play them and laughing your heads off. Some of my best memories come from playing board/card games with my parents.

This year we are having Christmas with my Uncle, who is divorced and whose children are grown and moved away. He said he would provide a tree if my 4 year old daughter would bring over the decorations; he suggested popcorn garlands, paper chains, etc. So this year will really be built around making the tree decorations and something I hope my daughter will remember for a long time and take great pride in.