I made another trip to the grocery store yesterday. Last week’s trip was to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner. Yesterday’s was to gear up for the holiday baking soon to ensue. We are really careful with our spending on groceries. We don’t eat fancy and we very seldom eat fast food or processed meals. This keeps the bill down. However, holidays are a different story. I don’t mind paying a little extra for the “splurge” that is Thanksgiving and Christmas.
There’s always an event to go to or someone to give a little gift to as a thank you for services rendered during the year. So, I like to start early in the month and get ahead of some of the baking. This means, of course, that I’m going to blow the food budget out of the water at least twice…and probably three times between the middle of November through the end of the year. This is ok because I plan for it.
Inflation as taken a bite out of everyone’s budget this season. I’m really happy I started making Christmas gifts for family last December. The yarns I used were drastically reduced in a store wide close out, so the items I knitted are of good quality yarns. My cousin in Indiana is in sales. She buys close out lots of items for everything from office supplies to clothing and this year she scored a sweet deal on some plush hoodies. Combined with my knitted items, the family…at least the girls…will get some really nice presents that didn’t break the bank.
There are lots of ways to curb your spending at this time of year. I personally feel like regifting and repurposing ought to be normalized for holiday gifting. Good quality items that are clean and useable and in perfectly fine condition can be just as cherished as something you pay a bundle for. I would suggest that you have a conversation with your gift recipients beforehand. Make it a challenge. Set a spending limit with specific instructions that the gift be thrifted, shared, repurposed through crafting, or homemade.
I mean, seriously…do we actually NEED more tchotchkes? No. We need more time. Offer a group outing as an alternative to individual gifts. Get everyone together to make gifts for others. Volunteer at a meal for the homeless and take the family with you. Seeing others less fortunate than themselves goes a long way toward humbling children and demonstrating a giving heart.
We have little ones who live out the road from us. I’m making cookie boxes for them. The trash man is getting some, too…along with a little folding money in his card. The mail delivery person is getting a little packet of fudge. I want to put the money in the food I feed our family and the time we spend with them. The littles will get a small toy with a couple of dollars. One dollar for their piggy bank, and the other for the bell ringer in front of the store.
Let’s move into this holiday season with different kinds of gifts for our fellow man. Let’s show a whole lotta Jesus in our actions. After all…that’s the Source of all Love. Let’s spread a lot of love and joy…and some homemade goodness. And remember, when you give to the poor…don’t tell anyone. make your gift anonymous that it may remain pure of heart and minus praise for the giving.
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“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-12 ESV