Celebrate well and spend less at Christmas

Are you ready for December – arguably the most stressful month of the year? Christmas brings great joy to many children but for their parents it often produces distressing credit […]

Are you ready for December – arguably the most stressful month of the year? Christmas brings great joy to many children but for their parents it often produces
distressing credit card statements in January! This year, “affordability” is top of mind for most people and as prices continue to rise it will be even more challenging to avoid over-spending on food and gifts. There is also a growing number of low-income families who struggle the hardest at this time of year. Whatever your circumstances, you will most likely be considering ways to cut back on spending.

Are there some ways reduce your spending while making gift giving more meaningful? While the focus is always on bringing smiles to children’s faces, they could be encouraged to scale back their expectations and also commit to helping others less fortunate. Could they, for example, donate the books and toys they have outgrown to a charity that seeks to help struggling families? The Salvation Army in Weyburn, Sask., is introducing a “toy store” that will allow parents to select donated gifts for their children. That’s a concept other places could follow.

Adults can consider homemade baking, preserves or crafts that make gift giving more personal. Decorative displays made from natural elements from your backyard using green boughs, pinecones etc. can replace mass produced and environmentally harmful decorations, saving money and avoiding waste. They can also make thoughtful gifts. Family members could agree to set a limit on the amount to spend on a gift for each other or they could agree to skip gifts for adults and instead make a family donation to a food bank or charity. The Inn of the Good Shepherd in Sarnia is offering the opportunity to sponsor a family this Christmas.

An increasingly popular gift giving strategy for families is to have a “Secret Santa”. The names of those participating are placed in a hat and each person randomly draws a name. A gift is then purchased for that person respecting an agreed budget limit. At Christmas each person opens their gift without knowing who chose and paid for it. Everyone enjoys the mystery of guessing who purchased their gift. Family members can agree to disclose names or they may decide to keep the secret.

Other ideas could include an offer to babysit or assist with a home project. Tickets to a local theatre to take in a movie, a play or a concert or a gift card for a modest amount for a local bookstore or small business would also support the local economy.

In a time of rising inflation and economic uncertainty we should all commit to reducing our expectations when it comes to gift giving. You don’t need to become a “Scrooge” but if you can “cut back” and convince your family and friends to do likewise you could find that your efforts will bring far-reaching benefits. Christmas will be less stressful and more meaningful when the emphasis is on showing your love and appreciation for those near and dear to you. Donating money, food or gifts to assist those less fortunate in the community will allow you to more deeply honour the spirit of the season!

Your bank account will benefit and so will your mental and emotional health as you pat yourself on the back for being creative and committing to change. The planet will also benefit from less waste and use of its resources.

All this leads me to invite you to drop by the next Climate Café at Great Lakes Refill at 454 Christina St. N. on Sunday November 30 th at 2pm. The theme is “Greening the Holidays”. There will be hot cider and coffee to enjoy while we share our thoughts and creative ideas on how we can keep the joy in Christmas while also keeping our sanity (and bank balances) intact.

Climate Café is sponsored by Climate Action Sarnia Lambton which is made up of people just like you who are concerned about global heating and its impacts! Please drop by and join the chat!