The Holidays

My God, you'd think we've celebrated Halloween and Thanksgiving the way the stores are peddling the Christmas decorations. Sam's Club has the twinkling lights shining like beacons and music blaring demanding my attention and dollars. Costco has the signage for hams and turkeys and the demonstrators in full force enticing shoppers taste buds. We're in late September folks, I haven't had time to break out with my horror movies and scare myself silly and you want me to start buying for Christmas? Not happening.

I scaled back last year and I'm scaling back even more this holiday season. As for decorations, I have more than I can store year round, so I am not spending another cent on lights, wreaths, ornaments, etc. I'm buying two main gifts and that's it. There will be small ones here and there, but I've set my budget for gift buying and I'm sticking to it. I swear, I'm not budging if it kills me. Ever do the obligatory gift buy? Someone unexpectedly buys you a gift, you feel guilty for not reciprocating so, you rush out and buy something, even if it's more than you should spend?

I don't do that anymore either. Haven't for oh, I guess, four years. If someone gifts me and I have nothing to give in return, I note their birthday and gift them then. This serves a dual purpose, of course, I surprise them and I have time to consider my purchase. I also feel a lot better about the gift giving, not like I'm doing it so as to not feel bad or offend. I'm genuinely enthused when it's done this way.