Christmas for the Money Savers

Christmas for the Money Savers

By Tania Prestidge

Ah Christmas! A time to praise the birth of Jesus, a time for carols and presents and a time to get together with the family to celebrate a lavish day in style. The history of Christmas dates back many many many years when Christmas used to be known as -Christ's mass' and is generally celebrated as Jesus's birthday. This was way before Saint Nicholas, or Santa, came in the picture where it is said that he originally was a saint known for his gift giving to the poor! Isn't that a good example of what Christmas spirit is about?

With Christmas under a month away, a lot of people are still far behind and stressing over many things as to what they are going to be doing for the day. What presents are they going to get for loved ones, the food they plan to eat, who is going to come and lastly, what is it that they are going to do for the day.

All of the problems have one thing in common: Money problems. With many people struggling to make their own ends meet by paying their bills and buying groceries, may people wonder how they would be able to celebrate Christmas on a budget. I'm even in a bit of a tight spot myself like many other people. I have no idea what to get or do, so I decided to compile a list that would help not just me, but everyone else who is in the same situation as well.

Fear not! This list is for everyone and I guarantee some of these suggestions will help you celebrate Christmas in style with little hassle.

When it comes to presents, the only two tips I have for this is to look for sales! When a store is having a sale you can be guaranteed that you would be saving a heap of money. Secondly, if you are having trouble deciding what to get people, think practical: Do they need something in their life to make it easier? Example, if there are any avid readers that love carrying books around perhaps a kindle reader to keep a lot of books on. Saves a lot of space and it saves them some money when purchasing books. If ordering items overseas, purchase early so that there would be some time for the presents to come in the mail.

A feast is a must on Christmas day no matter how big or small for many people. The questions you have to ask yourself first are: Who's coming and how much food is needed. Also are there any people that have special dietary needs that need attending to? Such as, are there any vegetarians or people allergic to certain kinds of foods? After this, buy the ingredients and if you want, prepare ahead of time so all you have to do is warm the food up on the day. Some foods, such as Christmas ham, take time to prepare so make sure you have plenty of time to cook it.

The important events on the day would vary, but most of them have the Christmas dinner and present opening times. What happens the rest of the day is up to not only the host and family but the weather. Keep an eye on the weather and have a back up plan. If you plan on going out, make sure everyone keeps together and that there is enough space to carry everything. You can save some petrol and some lives by sharing vehicles and having those with licenses take turns at the wheel. However, if you plan on staying indoors and there are children around, try and do some activities with the children that would be fun for both the adults and children. For example, if there are some people baking muffins, involve the children by asking them to decorate the muffins with icing and any decorations available. To help prevent spilling the decorations, it would be wise to have them in a dish and to have the children dip the muffins in the dish. Or if you want some fun, have a Christmas costume party for both children and adults. It would be a fun time for everyone.

In saying this, there are a few things to keep in mind when celebrating on the day. Christmas is a time to celebrate with family many things and enjoy each others company. It isn't all about presents or what you have. It's all about being grateful for what you have at present and whom you have in your life that are able to share it with you.

For everyone, no matter who or where you are this festive season, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.