It can be difficult to keep gift-giving meaningful during the holidays, especially when there’s pressure to find the perfect present for everyone in your life. It seems like more and more, this time of year leads to excessive spending and the stress that comes with all of it: the shopping, the financial strain, the anxiety of finding just the right gift for your loved ones.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways to get around this. By taking small steps to make gift-giving more meaningful, you’ll be able to ensure the recipient is happy along with your wallet.
Here are a few of the easiest ways to do just that.
Keep the list short
It may be tempting to write a long list of people you’d like to buy for, especially if you think they’ll be getting you something. But it will save time, energy, and money if you agree ahead of time to only buy for the kids and grandparents in the family, or play Secret Santa so everyone can choose one name out of a hat to buy for. This way, you can get your shopping done quickly without the stress of having many people to choose a gift for.
Create a budget and stick to it
It’s important to create a well thought-out budget before the holidays roll around and stick to it. One of the ways you can accomplish this is by asking friends and family members to create and share “wish-lists”, which can be done on many websites these days. This will take the guesswork out of shopping and spending and will help you figure out how much you’ll need to spend.
Get the kids involved
If you have children, recruit them for making thoughtful cards and drawings rather than sending out expensive–and time consuming–photo cards. Not only will the handmade element be much appreciated by grandparents and family members who live far away, it will add a money-saving element that will keep you on budget.
Think outside the box
Instead of buying several gifts for each family member, consider buying tickets to a show for everyone or going in on a trip with a small group. Thinking on a bigger scale doesn’t necessarily have to mean spending more.
You might also consider buying something that a loved one might need or get some use out of rather than a superficial gift. Think gift cards for a college student’s gas, or perhaps a dog walking service for someone who works a lot or has health issues.
Get creative
You don’t have to break the bank to have nice gifts to give; get creative and make something for each member of your family. Bake bread or cookies, make a scrapbook, or try something new and donate money to a worthy cause in your loved one’s name.
Make your own wrapping paper
Instead of buying expensive rolls of gift wrap, use plain brown craft paper and gel pens, stamps and ink, and metallic markers to draw designs and personalize each gift. It may take a bit more time, but in the end the recipient will be happy to have something that you put so much thought into.