Practical Savings

Through this season, it's easy to become aggravated.  The controversy abounds and whatever someone is celebrating or not celebrating seems to offend someone else.  As the controversy through the years continue, it would appear that many in our society seem to celebrate being offended.  Somehow we've parlayed "Happy Holidays" into a "war" on our chosen celebration and actually have the audacity to equate non-celebration by others as some sort of persecution.  Rather than allow this season to bring out the Scrooge in all of us, I have a few ideas I'd like to share.

Regardless of what you celebrate, be it Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa.  Regardless of whether you observe these celebrations religiously or from the secular perspective, I'd like to share a few things I've gleaned along the way.  I celebrate Hanukkah, from an historical and religious perspective, so I'm not promoting any other celebration, just acknowledging reality.

First and foremost, those who are making the most noise about their particular celebration seem to be able to afford or are willing to spend quite a bit of money on the celebration.  Second, there are a great many sales on practical items through this time of year.  Third, many poorer children will not be receiving school lunches for two weeks.  Fourth, the weather is colder with potential for the elderly to be snowed in.

For those who truly believe "Jesus is the reason for the season," teach your children it's not about them.  Make a point of focusing only on the birth of the babe in Bethlehem.  Keep it strictly based upon Luke 2, I think you'll be surprised what you discover!  No omniscient fat man in a red suit, regardless of characters added later.  And let's face it, there's no mention of a big decorated evergreen in a Bethlehem stable.  Keep your Christmas celebration based upon Luke 2, only, no added characters or decoration and see where that takes you.  Take the Christmas budget and use it to truly make a difference in someone's life.  This could be a wonderful opportunity to teach children about what it is, to truly give.

Once Hanukkah and Christmas became enmeshed beyond comprehension in my family, and my gifts simply didn't measure up . . . I stopped buying Hanukkah gifts.  I still remember the conviction the last year at the attempt to celebrate Hanukkah with those who had to reschedule for their Christmas plans.  I knew it was time to quit.  Most of the rest of the world doesn't exchange Hanukkah gifts, it's just an American Christmas "knock-off" for Jewish kids.  There are a number of items I can provide to the food pantries that SNAP benefits do not cover, such as soaps and cleaning products.

There are some very practical aspects to this shopping season.  I will not be leaving my home on Black Friday, but there is a practical and reasonable side to holiday sales, and the after holiday sales are often really good!  Heavy socks and gloves, boots, hats, and jackets hit the sale racks after the holiday season.  There are still at least two months of winter weather, so if the winter chore-wear is in need of replacement, it's the perfect time to save some money.  I would think the same would apply for any apparel in department stores.  Following the holiday sales and gift returns, "gift sets" hit the clearance rack and bargain bin.   Whether it's fragrances, candles, candy, or gift sets for kitchen and bath, the holiday packaging can be tossed and the items themselves be enjoyed at a significant savings.

Now to the practicality of it all.  With the savings and teachings of "doing for others" for the holidays and transferring the budgeted funds with either fewer purchases or greater savings, those funds can go toward funding some backpack snack programs for kids or food for kids on church bus ministries for the two weeks they won't have school lunches.  It can also be used toward helping someone, especially at the end of the month stretch their food or utility funds.  If there is snow in your area, getting the kids bundled up to shovel a sidewalk for the elderly is a wonderful way to teach what it is to be a good neighbor.  It will also make for a wonderful opportunity for coming back in to warm up with hot cocoa and fun times around your own kitchen table.

Here it is, a few days before Thanksgiving and I'm already tired of the holiday debate.  Let's just avoid that whole issue by saving some money on "needed" sale items, doing something for someone that cannot pay us back, and making it a point to use some of the school vacation days to focus on some old fashioned family fun!