OK, here’s an idea that came from a nursing friend that I thought was great. She knows a lot about cutting expenses and getting through Christmas fairly frugally. She and her husband used to own a pizza restaurant that unfortunately went under after 9/11. Having four kids and a lot of debt, she and her husband were forced to be creative.
She has each of her kids pick the top 3 things that they would like for Christmas and put it down on a list. Then she shares the list with the rest of the family. She and the grandparents share the costs of getting these top three things. She then tags each of the presents: from “Mom and Dad,” from “Grandpa and Grandma,” and from “Santa.” She also wraps up things like clothes, boots, and other necessities that she would buy anyway so that the kids have more packages under the tree. She suggests waiting to buy clothing for the first day of school. The kids see what the other kids are wearing and come home asking for the things that they want. She then buys them over the fall and wraps them up for Christmas.
So, I had the kids make their top 3 picks the other day... I had to redirect a little due to the fact that a laptop and a trampoline (on Adam’s list) was a bit out of reach. Then he asked for a cell phone! This kid is 9 years old! OK, so he understands that he has to wait until he’s older for that…and maybe until he gets a job! So now, they have finalized their lists. I feel that since it is before Thanksgiving, I am ahead of the game. At least I’m not at Toys R Us two days before Christmas sorting through picked over toys and purchasing things that will be played with for a week and then forgotten.
Anyone want to join me on this?
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