Grinchmas: Top 10 Ways to De-emphasize Gifts and Reclaim your Christmas Spirit

We talk about the true meaning of Christmas—the baby Jesus in the manger, and peace and goodwill towards all.  So why is it so hard not to stress out over the required gift-giving?

In this economy, almost all of us are stretching, Christmas or not.  Should we really take on credit card debt (if we even have credit left) for gifts that will, most likely, not be remembered even a few months later?

I wish I could buy all of you lavish and interesting gifts, I really do.  But I can’t.  So what I’m giving you this year is ten ideas about how to redefine Christmas Spirit and de-emphasize gifts:

1.   Change your own attitude.  Christmas is really about the Baby in the manger, and peace and goodwill towards all, right?  We need to GET this.

2.   If you are used to exchanging lavish gifts with those closest to you, consider sending out positively worded Grinch Alerts (or call) saying you’d like to tone things down this year.  Offer handmade gifts, baked goods, or volunteer to babysit for a single mother who never gets out of the house.

3.   Put your emphasis on RELATIONSHIPS and sharing the holiday with those you love.  Go look at Christmas lights, watch favorite Christmas movies, or go caroling.  Light a fire and drink hot cocoa or cider with friends.  Attend or participate in a Christmas Parade.  Help an elderly neighbor string some lights or put up a tree.  Volunteer somewhere.

4.   If postage is a problem, send ecards.  Or how about a phone call or two to faraway friends and relatives?

5.   Trim your list for those gifts you simply must give.

6.   Buy in bulk so you can spend quality time with your friends and family this year.  It really is ok to give the majority on your list the same cool inexpensive gift—just be sure it’s well thought out.  You can give personalized gifts on birthdays, when they matter more.

7.   If you have small children, you may be thinking about how out of touch I am.  My suggestion is to buy or make lots of small gifts and wrap them separately.  For most kids, it’s all about the element of surprise.  And if you are really pinching pennies, just be sure to spend lots of quality time with your kids this Christmas.  That’s something they understand and will remember.  I promise you they won’t remember what they didn’t get for long.

8.   Here’s a radical one:  Change the date on your gift-giving.  For a multitude of reasons, my sister and I are getting together for Christmas closer to New Year’s.  If you move the gift-giving piece away from the 25^th, it’s easier to de-emphasize it.

9.   Use what you have on hand for gifts.  Do you have pine trees that could yield you Christmas wreaths or garland to give as gifts?  Can you make homemade Christmas ornaments?

10. This last one is important:  If you receive an unexpected gift, just be gracious.  Don’t  flinch and make everyone uncomfortable.  Big smile, big thank you!  That is really all that needs to be said.  If you launch into a big speech about how they shouldn’t have, how you didn’t, and how awful you feel, you’ll just ruin it for the other person.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff148/ou812dillo/Christmasspirit.jpg

Ok, it's time to get out there and have some Christmas fun!  And get over the gift thing, already.  You might be surprised by how much it changes your experience of the holidays.  Merry Christmas, Ya’ll!

I’d love to hear about ways you’ve come up with to reclaim your own Christmas Spirit.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://www.writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com