Spending
     We celebrate the holidays, we don’t buy them. Bear this in mind as we talk about spending. Let’s face it, the holidays have become overrun by commerce and you will be sucked into its vortex if you don’t make up your own mind about spending and celebrating. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no scrooge, and I love the holidays, but I know from experience that between decorating, gift giving and entertaining, you can spend enough to make yourself miserable with bills until next summer. Don’t do this to yourself. It will all be soon forgotten, so ask yourself what you can truly afford, and then live within those means. If you simplify, you’ll be rewarded with an absence of guilt and a healthier, more rested family.
     Planning is essential to spending well. It’s very important to resist impulse spending, and beware because your kids will want everything they see, so avoid the mall if you can. Online shopping is fabulous bcs. you can stay focused just on what you need, avoid crowds, and have it delivered right to your door, or the recipient’s door! Not only do you save time, you can save money by using coupons, and believe me, right now there are tons of them. You can google your site name, adding coupons to the word, and you can also try the following sites:  retailmenot.com, thebudgetfashionista.com, fatwallet.com, or ebates.com. Sometimes you have to be a little patient, but usually within a week or two something should come up for what you want to buy. (Another reason why it pays to shop early.)
     If you like to do a lot of entertaining, buy ahead at a wholesale club. In fact, ask for gourmet baskets as an early gift if someone asks what you’d like. It’s a luxury and it’s festive.
      As for gift giving, there is an unholy pressure on us to buy love and happiness at this time of year. Don’t believe the hype. Gifts are great, and I have a list of gift ideas that don’t become clutter, since we all have too much stuff anyway.
     “We try so hard to give the right gift, when all our family members want is the love that comes from you.”  FlyLady
This is an era of the service industry, and I like giving gifts that involve doing something or getting a service. Consumables are good too.
     A bonus is when you mix gift giving with time spent together, esp. w/kids. Offer to take grandchildren or nieces and nephews to a sports event or museum or just hanging out. Children are starved for time spent with family members and they really do get overwhelmed by excess. They can’t handle clutter any better than we can.
   Offer babysitting services so mom and dad can have time together. Give a mani/pedi to a friend and go together. Give tickets and go to something together. We own too much and we have too little leisure.
     Money Snacks will not only be a fun companion for you on your road to riches, it will also solve the gift problem for just about anyone and any occasion.
     Here’s something interesting. I learned that children want to participate in giving. When I had a gift shop, one room of it was just for kids to shop. The prices ranged from 25 cents to $2.00. The parents would drop the kids off for the secret shopping, complete with a budget and list, and I would take them around to choose gifts. It really surprised me how much care the children took in choosing gifts. They really gave it consideration, and they were proud of their gifts.
      Try taking kids to the dollar store w/ a budget and a list, and let them practice shopping. It’s much better than the mall where everything costs a fortune, and it’s an easy way for them to learn prices.
      Start buying gifts now, and wrap and store them. Try using Dec. 1^st as a deadline to have decorations up and shopping done. Then December is easy. When you see something that would make a good hostess or teacher’s gift, buy a few, drop in a gift bag, and place in a basket by the front door. Then grab one as needed.
     By the way, Money Snacks makes a great gift as edutainment. Try to make your gifts meaningful. Something they can use, and don’t be afraid to ask people what they want. Cash walks and talks, and sometimes that’s exactly what people want.
Soul Stirring and Self Preservation
     Speaking of what people want, I believe something we want and miss is time for ourselves, and soul food during the holidays. 
          It’s so important to take care of yourself during these coming weeks. When you’re decorating and shopping, baking and cleaning, take 15 minute breaks for yourself. Sit down, listen to music, drink water, stretch, rest your eyes, paint your nails. These things are really important and they will make a difference. Adjust traditions and activities so that you don’t over schedule yourself. If you want to have your big holiday meal between Christmas and New Year’s, do it! It can take the pressure off, and who cares when you do it anyway?
      Schedule pampering in, and give it as a gift to someone, and then go with them! Get a massage, have a manicure with a friend, or a coffee just to hang out. Take bubble baths. Turn the TV off for awhile and read or stare at the fire. Take walks and don’t neglect your exercising. You’ll need the energy and you’ll need to release the stress. You’ll have time for this because you didn’t procrastinate on all the other stuff.
      As for soul stirring ~ there is much beauty to take in during this season. There are plays, concerts, exhibitions, local decorations and events that will speak to you. We used to have caroling parties, (I used to sing opera, so singing is very natural to me.) and though the parties were a bit raucous, the singing together was always very moving to me, especially when we got to Silent Night, and the neighbors loved it.
     Finding a way to help others really blesses the season for everyone involved, and it makes a big impact on the kids. Do attend a Christmas play, donate food, help an elderly neighbor, invite someone to dinner who is alone, stuff a shoebox for Franklin Graham, or choose a child from the Angel Tree. Your church or synagogue will doubtless have many programs, and the paper lists many ways to get involved in the community. Schedule this in so that it doesn’t get overlooked. It’s worth it.
     Whatever your religion or beliefs, find the magic and beauty of the season and celebrate it. If it’s hard to find, then create it yourself, and spread the joy.

CONCLUSION
      Being rich is the ability to experience fully the present moment, to enjoy it and be fully engaged. Having the biggest blow up character in the yard, or the trendiest “must have” gift items is not it, no matter what the media tells you.
     You’re going to have a great time if you are guided by your heart, and if you get busy now. Keep in mind that the New Year will follow, and you want to be in good shape to meet it, and that means financially. I don’t want to see you meet the New Year with a load of debt.

     Clutter Free Gifts

Gift Certificates
Pampering stuff (coupons or gathered in a basket)
Tickets
Massage/Manicure/Pedicure
Class or Seminar
Vanity License Plate
Home Made Coupons ~ car washing, cooking, decluttering services,
          bathroom cleaning, baby sitting, back rubs, gardening, breakfast in bed
Fresh flowers or plants
Gift certificate for Nursery
Junk Removal
Fresh Decorations such as wreaths, centerpieces, garlands
Membership at the Zoo, Aquarium, Museum, Nature Conservancy, etc.
Gift certificate to have a portrait taken
Truckload of manure or wood chips for a gardener

For Men
Tickets to sports events
Golf lessons
Bi-Plane ride
Fishing license
Home baked cookies
Gift Card to their favorite store:
          home improvement
          hobby
          electronics
          movies
Ride with a race car driver

For Kids
Books
Classes:
          music, photography, pottery, art, jewelry making, fencing,
          gymnastics, swimming, dance
Membership:
          Zoo, Science Center, Aquarium, National Park, Water Park
Take the kids out for an event or meal or hang-out time
Tape of yourself reading a book, along with a copy of the book
College Fund ~ Savings Bonds
Disposable camera and gift certificate for film development
A sleepover with you
Make them a gingerbread house