Post holiday glee
My sister sent me a postcard that had a picture of a snowman with his head not attached. The card referred to the post holiday meltdown. It was funny, but I don’t get post-Christmas blues. For that matter, I don’t get pre-Christmas blues either.
Why?
I still like Christmas. I still like filling the house with baking smells, making Christmas dinner, and tracking Santa via NORAD.
However, I’m pretty cheap at Christmas time. I remember growing up with a mother that went nuts at Christmas time. She’d spend so much money, Dad would talk about hoping he could pay it off before the next Christmas. As a puppy, I didn’t even think it was fun getting all those presents because something seemed wrong.
So, I made a decision and talked my husband into it. We get the kids a couple of presents, Santa fills their stockings, and Santa gives them a gift to share. With the notable exception of Christmas food, Christmas costs about $200. (Okay, Leon and I get ourselves a present, but Christmas is just the excuse, not the reason. I mean, doesn’t every family need a 1.5T NAS?)
So far the kids haven’t squawked the “lack” of Christmas presents, and I don’t get mopey.
Now Birthdays… Birthdays are another story all together.
Labels: christmas, financial independence, frugal, holidays, lifestyle, Your Money or Your Life