I just dug up the latest Deloitte Annual Holiday Survey for 2010 and found out that gift spending is up! Shoppers plan to buy 16.8 gifts this year on average, spending an average of $466 on gifts total (this is the first dollar total increase since 2004). I guess that works out to about $28 per gift. They say we'll spend an average of $1160 total on the holidays when you include entertaining and other non-gift expenses.
Here are ten ways to simplify and regroup:
- Decide what you really want to do and have to do. We do so many things in the name of "tradition" that may not be truly valued. Ask your family what is important to them about the holidays. What are their favorite decorations? What is their favorite food? Who do they want to be with this year? Do you really need to have a party? Focus on these priorities, let others drop off this year, and see how you feel.
- If you're going to meet with your family over Thanksgiving, ask if you can draw names this year for gifts. If it's too late, have the conversation now for next year and make decisions. Many people would welcome not having to buy for everyone.
- Make a gift list TODAY– right now– take ten minutes and knock it out.Take your total number (is it near 16.8? I'm curious…) and divide it by 5, because that is the number of weeks left until Christmas. (By the way, for purposes of simplifying this post I am going to go with Christmas as the winter holiday we're talking about, since according to Gallup 93% of Americans celebrate it.) When you divide it by the number of weeks, that tells you how many gifts you can buy per week to pace yourself. If you run the average 16.8 gifts, that is 3+ gifts per week. What's your Gift Pacing Number?
- Figure out your deadlines TODAY too. Here's a link to the US Postal Service deadlines for mailing packages, and if you're mailing holiday cards, you will want to figure out those related deadlines as well. This previous post will also save you a lot of time: Top Four Post Office Avoidance Tips
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Start a gift journal using the gift list you just made. Using something beautiful like this M by Staples® refillable journal will be a smart way to get a head start on next year's list and remember what you gave and how much you spent.
- Choose one "universal gift" for all of the small gifts you need, and have a few extra on hand for those you may have accidentally forgotten. Examples: a case of wine, sets of wine charms, picture frames, candles, a favorite book, or a handmade item that is easy to make quickly.
- Shop online to save time and hassle at the stores. Why bother finding a sitter and a parking space, fighting the crowds, and schlepping stuff around? Get some holiday sanity back by shopping online and doing it EARLY to avoid exhorbitant shipping prices and disappointments.
- Remember that halls that are decked have to eventually be un-decked. Keep your decorations simpler so you won't resent taking it all apart in January.
- Entertain smartly. Do pot-luck entertaining rather than taking on the whole meal yourself, or have a dessert-only party instead of a meal.
- Divide up the work. You may already have family members bringing various dishes to your big turkey dinner, but you can assign chores too. Kids can set the table, uncles can dry dishes, grandfathers can take out the garbage, etc. This way people can relax guilt-free when their chores are over and still feel like they contributed. AND, it's not all on you!
What are your favorite ways to simplify the holidays? Share in the comments!
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Good points here.
I like the gift journal, the universal gift, remembering that decorations put up have to be un-put up and shop online.
I have been using your Gift Giving Calendar for the past 2 years to keep track of birthday and Christmas gifts. (I do this by adding tabs to the spreadsheet for each occasion.) Giving presents this year has been completely stress free as a result: I LOVE the fact that I can plan ahead and I know what I’ve given people for the past couple of years!! Amazingly, I have sorted all my Christmas gifts, and wrapping and posting, except for some photobooks I am finishing this week! This has been more of a blessing than I originally thought it woul dbe as we suddenly found ourselves buying a house and packing up the one we’re in – right at this busy time…. so many many thanks Lorrie for all your inspirational ideas.
Thanks Lorie for sharing the postal deadlines. Everyone operates better with accountability and these deadlines make us aware of when to be ready for the holiday!
We used to draw names in my husband’s family. Now we do a white elephant gift exchange, with a monetary limit. Some people bring or make fantastic gifts, and some are gag gifts. It’s so much fun that it’s the highlight of our celebration. We have so many fun memories of silly things we’ve fought over, and the memories are just as fun as the new gift exchange.
We did have to institute a similar exchange for the kids since they were jealous of all the fun the adults were having, but now they’ve all grown up and we have one exchange again.