This post originally appeared on The HSBA Post on December 17, 2012.
This year, money’s tight. But we’ve had tight Christmases before. And what I know from tight budget Christmases is that they’re a drag.
I know – giving isn’t the reason for Christmas. But it’s really fun to choose things for the ones you love that make their faces light up.
Nothing makes you feel like you’re celebrating Jesus’s birthday like having a family member say, “Oh, wow! This is the coolest thing ever!”
So when I first thought about how we were going to manage Christmas giving this year, I had a small idea: give things I already have.
I had no idea that small idea would grow to be huge.
“If you don’t use it, pitch it.”
I’m married to a professional organizer. So I constantly hear stories of his clients and the things he coaches them. The big one is, “Yes you could use it, but do you use it?”
I own a lot of things that I don’t use. But they are beautiful or special — so much so that I ignore the advice. I just can’t pitch them — or even donate them — because… well, because I just can’t.
But if I shared it, now that’s a different story.
Excitement welled!
As I looked around at the things in my home that are fabulous and unused, I got excited. I went from shelf to shelf, drawer to drawer, discovering all the cool things that I could give.
Then I thought about all the things in my mother’s attic. I gave her a call.
“How about a special Christmas gift for you, Ma?” I asked. “Can I come over and get all my boxes out of your attic?”
Now she got excited.
So last week I went “shopping” in Ma’s attic. All my old toys, books, crafts, clothes, and jewelry are going to find their way into hands that will love them like I do. And use them!
I’m recycling, reusing, cleaning out my home and Ma’s attic – all on a $0 budget.
And I’m celebrating the way Jesus would – by sharing!
How about you – are you on a shoestring budget or a $0 budget, too? Tell us about it in the comments!
