The Christmas season is a time for gathering, generosity, gift-giving, and for some, overspending. Today, Christmas is still one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. Americans celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday and the birth of Jesus, “the mass for Christ”(Matthew 1:18-2:23).
Jesus’s date of birth is not stated in the gospels, but most biblical scholars state a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC. These dates also mark the first custom of gift-giving when the wise men knelt for the baby Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).
The celebration of Christmas first became a cultural celebration in Rome in about 336, but it became a major Christian festival in the 9th century.
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We have a long history of indulgences during the holiday season dating back to the 1700s, characterized by excessive eating and drinking, better defined as a raucous carnival celebration.
By the late early 19th century, shopkeepers began creating Christmas window displays for their shops, encouraging gathering and togetherness. During this time, the recorded biblical symbolic gesture of giving blended well with the secular belief giving brings joy.
The “Christmas trees” brought over by German Americans led to new tree-cutting and ornamentation businesses. England had success printing Christmas cards; we later started printing our own.
In 1862 cartoonist Thomas Nast created Santa Claus’s image, which was published in the American magazine Harper’s Weekly. The character of Santa Claus, believed to descend from St. Nicholas, was a Turkish bishop Nicholas of Myra who lived in the 4th century.
Photo by Isaac Martin on Unsplash
Gifts and other holiday expenditures like decorations, food, and festivals are woven into our historical celebration of Christmas. As time and culture progressed by the 1830s and 1840s through newly developed innovations, the Industrial Revolution began in Britain and later spread to America.
The Industrial Revolution paved the way for consumerism; goods became less expensive, and some products could sell on a large scale due to effective marketing campaigns.
American Consumerism increased during the 1920s through technological advances in communication, transportation, and manufacturing. Americans moved from avoidance of debt to the concept of buying goods on credit installments.
Over time Americans became comfortable spending more than they earned during the holiday season. According to a recent consumer spending report from Affirm, a buy now, pay later financing company reported, 7 in 10 Americans overspend during the holidays.
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The celebration of Christmas has changed over time, but one thing remains the same it’s a time for giving, gathering, and embracing traditions. Christmas, for most, is nostalgic as we work to adopt practices and create new ones; let us keep the main thing, the main thing.
Giving, at best, should be out of abundance, not out of lack; if we do not have the funds to purchase the items, it’s best to leave them at the store. Setting ground rules and creating a plan for the holiday season can help prevent overspending and easily approach this holiday season with ease.
1. Be selective on the “giving” list.
Create a list of whom you plan to give to this year. Giving is something that is based on a set of values. Some give throughout the year, and others may give most during the holiday season. When the holiday season arrives, the “giving list” can become larger than expected. Many organizations, non-profits, and churches become involved with their communities with efforts to provide gifts and food to those who would otherwise not have.
These are great opportunities to participate, but select the only ones you feel called to. Family members, school teachers, coaches, neighbors, our kiddos, the list quickly grows. Be selective on whom you plan to give and intentional. Giving is best from the heart, not from the feeling of obligation.
2. Set a Budget.
Decide how much money you feel comfortable spending, then set a budget for each person or category. Then dial the list down to what you plan to give them; this is most important with our kiddos. If you want to stretch an already tight budget, use some funds for your nonessential categories, such as dining out or entertainment. Be realistic with your budget, and be ok with prioritizing what or who is important. Track your spending as you go, ensuring you stay on budget.
3. Just because you can get it doesn’t mean you should.
When the holiday season arrives, it’s easy to get into the giving spirit. Businesses have become strategic in their advertising approach. We don’t even realize we are being persuaded to purchase more than we intended. Be sure to bring your list of the items you plan to buy, and stick to the list.
It is great to have a season of abundance when you have more than enough to give, but maybe all years will not look alike. We may set unrealistic standards if we purchase lots of items or give our kiddos an outlandish gift. Perhaps teaching our kiddos Christmas is about a copious amount of gifts. Keep it sweet and simple, don’t over-do-it even if you can.
4. Baked goods are great gifts.
Gifting some baked goods is a thoughtful, low-cost, fabulous gift. There are many simple Christmas cookie recipes, or you can bake your go-to best cookie recipe. Here is our family’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can just purchase the ingredients and treat bags or containers; no one in this world won’t appreciate adorable, freshly baked treats.
5. Think less but better.
This is a minimalist approach to consumerism and a way to combat the habit of overspending. Think less but better when decorating for the holidays and gift-giving. Christmas décor a truly wonderful way to bring the spirit of joy. The twinkling lights create a magical atmosphere; it’s a lovely time of year to drive around and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. When decorating for the holidays, this could also be an easy way to spend more than expected; select quality pieces that may last for years. When purchasing gifts, think of meaningful items that will not be tossed aside next month.
Summary
Christmas and the holiday season is a wonderful time of the year! Whether you’re celebrating Jesus’s birthday or it’s a cultural tradition you celebrate, it’s a time for togetherness. Creating long-lasting joyful memories with your loved ones can be done without overspending by staying vigilant and intentional with your finances.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a splendid New Year!
Photo by Tessa Rampersad on Unsplash