Holidays bring out the best and worst of people. With such emphasis on giving not only gifts but monetarily, it can put some pressure on people to give as much as possible. But where do people draw the line in giving? Where do we cross over from just simply watching our money to being a scrooge?
For me, being selfless to people I love is easy. It’s not uncommon for me to go 1000% overboard to get the gift or gifts I know someone will love. This is great for the people I’m giving too, but its not good for my bank account. Every year I seem to be scraping by after the holidays because I spent to much, dug too much into my savings or swiped my debit card two too many times.
This year I am seriously trying to consider giving smaller gifts and using whatever else money I would have spent on my friends and family, and donating it. I’m trying to tithe more and in the process of finding a charity I feel strongly about, and giving there. You could even donate to a charity in a family members name. Heck you guys could even send the day making shoe boxes to spend to soldiers over seas, or do a toys of tots holiday box for underprivileged children.
With the less money to give to my family, I’m going to give them something money can’t buy, my time. Spending time with friends and family in a way they enjoy is sometimes better then a gift bought at the store. With life happening we are always in so many different directions, spending time together in a rare commodity.
Moral of the story, you don’t have to break the bank to make the holidays perfect. You always don’t have to be a penny hoarding scrooge the entire month. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you don’t want to spend, or give donate your time to people or charities. Take your mom to a movie. Volunteer at a charity, pick up trash on the side of the road.
Don’t be a scrooge this holiday season, but don’t break the bank either.
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