Gift giving is the game of the holidays. Stores run sales, advertisements talk about giving gifts to friends, family, neighbors, teachers, everyone you come in contact with needs a gfit! Or so they say.
But money doesn’t grow on trees and this year it may be harder than ever to buy, buy, buy. So what do you do about this pressure?
If the idea of exchanging gifts and feeling as though others expect you to give a certain gift or amount makes you want to avoid the holidays, one thing to do is to talk to your loved ones about gift giving. Ask if you can exchange homemade gifts or keep a dollar limit. Let close ones know that money is tight and you don’t want to be in a position to be expected to give more than what you have.
Another idea is to plan an event as a gift to be given in 2021. This may buy you time to save up additional money for the event if this month is a little tight. Just make sure you will have the funds when you plan for the event to happen or you’ll be in the same situation as you are now. The added bonus of this idea is that you make additional memories above and beyond the actual holiday.
The last option is to come to terms that you aren’t required to spend money on others or to buy extravagant gifts, regardless of advertisements or previous holiday expectations. No one is telling you to do this (and if they are, maybe you need to assess how toxic the relationship is). Stores run advertisements because they want to make a profit but that doesn’t mean their profit needs to come from you. Other family members may buy you gifts but that doesn’t mean you have to match quid pro quo. They buy you what they want to buy you; you give what you want and/or can.
This year has proven that we don’t know where tomorrow will take us. We don’t want to start 2021 in a financial position that we regret and stress over. Financial stress at the holidays can trigger anxiety as well as depression and increase fights in couples. You and your relationships are more important than what gifts others open.
Cherish what you have this year. Give if you want and can.
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