Homemade presents are the best, as they allow you to create personalized items at little ex- pense.
Now that the season of spooks is over, it’s time to plan for the next big holiday of the year: Christmas!
While the Yuletide days are often depicted to be full of cheer and celebrations, planning the festivities can be quite stressful. Maintaining the budget, buying gifts for loved ones, and planning the holiday meals—all these can take a toll on anyone’s sanity.
Thankfully, we’ve done our research to help ease your Christmas woes and help you gear up for the holiday rush. Here are some tips to help you maximize the merry-making this coming Santa season.
Celebrate by going green
For many of us into shopping, Christmas is the perfect excuse to buy a lot of new things. This can be quite heavy not only on our wallets, but also on the environment.
A lot of our landfills get filled up with unwanted presents, food leftovers and other holiday garbage after the season. To save our budget and our earth, it’s wise to celebrate the season sustainably by thinking green.
First off, review your existing inventory from Christmas celebrations of the past.
Your plastic tree, glittering baubles, and leftover wrappers—all these can be reused this year without screaming “poor” at all. For last year’s Christmas lights, it might be wise to test them out first to see if they still work without overheating or malfunctioning.
If you really must buy new ones, opt for LED lights. Better yet, get solar-powered lights to avoid an increase in your upcoming electricity bills. These devices work best outdoors, but they can also be used inside your home provided that the solar panels themselves can be placed outside via a nearby window or balcony ledge. Alternatively, a solar-powered parol can light up your home safely and affordably.
The gift of experience, such as a pampering time for mom, is a great and green alternative for your loved ones.
In terms of gifts, recycle wrappers or use alternative ones such as your children’s sketch pad, decorated newspapers and even magazine clippings.
Kraft paper wrappers are also great for the environment and give your gifts an elegant vintage flair. Lastly, check out local craftsmen and suppliers for unique ideas on holiday presents. Not only do their products set you apart from commercialized trinkets, but you also get to help local communities and small businesses thrive during the holiday season.
Plan a realistic feast
Many mothers are probably guilty of over preparing their holiday feasts every year. After all, a well-stocked pantry and overflowing table could only mean that the year has been bountiful for the family, right? As much as we want to impress our visitors, it is wiser to plan a family meal that is enough for our guests. This helps us keep some extra budget for other expenses and minimize our waistlines for the upcoming year.
To take it a step further, consider going healthy for your upcoming Christmas feast. While many of us would still want Christmas cookies and some roasted chicken on our plate, perhaps limit the sweets to one or two desserts instead of hoarding a whole bake shop? Also, some vegetable-based meals and salads would allow you to snack until midnight without any guilt. Proteins are definitely great to keep us full throughout the merrymaking, so prepare more of these and lessen the carbs to help keep rice hikes at bay.
Enjoying the experience
Beyond the food and presents, Christmas is awesome for all the bonding and memories we get to share with our loved ones. So for a change, consider giving experiences as gifts to your loved ones. A massage for dad, a beauty makeover for mom, a DIY gingerbread house for your kid – the options are endless if you want to give your family moments to remember. These are not only priceless in terms of experience, but they also do not generate any kind of waste at all.
Reuse or repurpose your Christmas decorations to save your wallet and the environment.
Lastly, if you still insist on giving physical presents, do your research and give what your recipient actually needs. As much as many of us have good intentions when it comes to gift-giving, many presents actually end up in storage closets. Better yet, give consumable gifts such as kitchen condiments, food items and other products that will surely be used if not by your recipient, at least by their families. Group gifts are also fantastic, as these will help you minimize expenses and ensure that the whole family is covered by your present. Lastly, a DIY gift is always a great idea, as it allows you to personalize your presents and save on commercial frivolities.
Overall, Christmas is all about celebrating what truly matters – family, friends, and God’s love. Remember to keep this always in mind throughout the festivities, and don’t let holiday stress put you down in the dumps. Start planning your Christmas celebration today and find joy in the process, whatever your budget and capacities may be.
Sources:
Jonathan Borba, Lina Kivaka, Joyce White and Nicole Michalou via pexels.com