Christmas is only a few weeks away. Parents, lovers, and friends are raiding the stores and digging deep into their pockets for gifts for their loved ones.
According to Why Christmas, gifting on Christmas dates back about 2000 years and one of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men: Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh.
SPY suggests that since everyone is spending a lot of time at home, it would be ideal to look for items that would improve your loved one’s home lives, especially things they may have neglected this year. For example, warm house slippers, cozy winter clothing, and snug blankets could make great gifts.
With some people being laid off work or working fewer hours because of the COVID-19 pandemic, spending money on expensive gifts might not be on the cards for many families.
According to David John Marotta, a wealth management contributor at Forbes, limiting the number of people to whom you give gifts, was another way to assist you with cutting costs this Christmas. Marotta says, “It is best, to be honest with the reasoning….We are having trouble affording Christmas and can’t afford to give gifts to everyone.”
He added, some especially large families have had this conversation collectively and decided to rotate who bought each family member a present, similar to a Secret Santa. While for non-family members, you could make a batch of homemade goods as gifts to help cut costs.
The lack of funds should not be the reason for having a dull Christmas. According to Good House Keeping, there are ways to have a budget-friendly Christmas that will still feel special.
There are also many other options for budget gifts this Christmas season. For example, creating your own DIY gift, giving a gift card, baking Christmas themed cookies similar to these housewarming cookies or a giving potted plant, are all great options.
