It's the same every year. Actually, let me rephrase that; It gets worse every year. What I'm talking about, is Christmas. First, let me say, I loooove Christmas. I still bake goodies with my mom to give as gifts to people, drink eggnog on Christmas Eve with my family while watching the Grinch, I get all giddy and excited to open my presents, I even wear my ugly Christmas Sweater all December long!
So, when I say that Christmas is getting worse every year, what I mean, is that every year the materialism and selfishness of the American people gets WORSE! Every year, stores put up Christmas decorations earlier and earlier (before Halloween?!! REALLY?!!), to put people in the "Christmas Spirit", which is really just people spending too much money buying stuff they don't need, and stuff that their families don't need.
I am so sick of the Christmas commercials trying to make us feel like it's our obligation to spend thousands of dollars on gifts for people (a brand new car?!! REALLY?!!), I'm sick of hearing kid's Christmas lists growing more and more extravagant (ex: last year, my 10 year old cousin was telling me her Christmas list. This list included; A laptop, an ipod touch, a smart phone, and a computer!), and I am just sick of the overall selfish, materialistic attitude everyone has! Not to mention, people spending THOUSANDS of dollars buying THINGS! We don't need any more things! I think one thing everyone can agree on, is that Americans have SO MUCH! We don't need more! We already have more than entire nations of people!
I think that we also don't need to be producing more and more things that we are just polluting the environment with, and that are making multibillion dollar companies (*cough walmart cough*) more money! So this year, I am challenging everyone to shop for Christmas differently. To stop spending so much money, and to be concious of WHERE you are shopping. You CAN make a difference. I heard a great quote one time that said, "Vote with your wallet." That is so true. Companies won't listen to what we have to say, but if we stop spending all our money at their stores, then that will definitely catch their attention! Start shopping at mom and pop stores. When you do that, you are helping PEOPLE! Not corporations! Especially corporations whose main goal is to shut DOWN mom and pop stores! I could go on forever about this, but I won't. Here I have my 9 suggestions for how YOU can make a difference (and save a LOT of money, time, and stress!)!
So, when I say that Christmas is getting worse every year, what I mean, is that every year the materialism and selfishness of the American people gets WORSE! Every year, stores put up Christmas decorations earlier and earlier (before Halloween?!! REALLY?!!), to put people in the "Christmas Spirit", which is really just people spending too much money buying stuff they don't need, and stuff that their families don't need.
I am so sick of the Christmas commercials trying to make us feel like it's our obligation to spend thousands of dollars on gifts for people (a brand new car?!! REALLY?!!), I'm sick of hearing kid's Christmas lists growing more and more extravagant (ex: last year, my 10 year old cousin was telling me her Christmas list. This list included; A laptop, an ipod touch, a smart phone, and a computer!), and I am just sick of the overall selfish, materialistic attitude everyone has! Not to mention, people spending THOUSANDS of dollars buying THINGS! We don't need any more things! I think one thing everyone can agree on, is that Americans have SO MUCH! We don't need more! We already have more than entire nations of people!
I think that we also don't need to be producing more and more things that we are just polluting the environment with, and that are making multibillion dollar companies (*cough walmart cough*) more money! So this year, I am challenging everyone to shop for Christmas differently. To stop spending so much money, and to be concious of WHERE you are shopping. You CAN make a difference. I heard a great quote one time that said, "Vote with your wallet." That is so true. Companies won't listen to what we have to say, but if we stop spending all our money at their stores, then that will definitely catch their attention! Start shopping at mom and pop stores. When you do that, you are helping PEOPLE! Not corporations! Especially corporations whose main goal is to shut DOWN mom and pop stores! I could go on forever about this, but I won't. Here I have my 9 suggestions for how YOU can make a difference (and save a LOT of money, time, and stress!)!
1. Don't spend so much money!
THAT simple! Every year for Christmas, since I was little, my mom spends
$100 on each of us kids. Yup! Only $100! And we are FINE! I have NEVER felt ripped off
on Christmas! We have always had enough, and we didn't get spoiled (which is a pretty
good bonus)! She followed a lot of these tips to get a LOT of stuff for us for only $100.
2. Make a gift!
It's fun, easy (sometimes), cheap, one-of-a-kind, personalized, uses recycled
materials, and people LOVE it!
3. Buy something handmade on Etsy
Support the wonderful artists (including me :P ) that are selling their handmade items
online! Whatever you get, it is sure to be completely original and one-of-a-kind! Plus,
you're supporting PEOPLE (not corporations)!
4. Buy things at thrift stores, and consignment shops
This is probably the best tip to buying cheap Christmas presents. You never know what
you'll find at a thrift store! I have bought sooo many amaaaazing presents for people that
I never would have found (or at least for triple what I paid for it) somewhere else. This
also helps recycle things! It can't go to the dump if you're buying it!
5. Don't shop at Wal Mart
I already told you my thoughts on this earlier haha.
6. Bake cookies (or chocolate covered candy like I always do)
It's a fun Christmas tradition that I look forward to every year, and it makes such great
presents for people like the postman, your landlord, and neighbors! And plus, who
dosen't love chocolate?!!
7. You don't have to buy an ipod, and laptop, and phone, and camera...
When I was younger (wow that makes me feel old), I saved up for all that stuff! I worked
hard and bought myself my first mp3 player from saving up money from waitressing.
Same with my ipod and laptop I have now.
If you still want to get them those things, just get them ONE! It is INSANE to buy more
than one of those things for one person!
8. Buy Christmas presents for next Christmas, the week after Christmas!
It's a tradition for me, my mom, and my sister to go out a couple days after Christmas
and buy a bunch of the Christmas packaged gifts they have that is marked down 50-
75% after Christmas. They body washes and spray sets are good to give to people,
and are really cheap!
9. Shop for Christmas presents all year long
This is one of my other favorite tips for Christmas Shopping! All year long, whether I'm at
a garage sale, thrift store, or the clearance rack at the store, if I see something that
reminds me of somebody, or that I know they will love, I buy it! This is the biggest money
saver, and will make sure that you aren't stressed during the Holidays! Because think
about it; you won't have to rush around 3 weeks before Christmas, buying the first thing
you see for someone, cuz you can't find anything else, and don't have enough time to
thoroughly look for something good! And you will spread out your buying throughout the
year, meaning you won't have to drop all the money at once.
THAT simple! Every year for Christmas, since I was little, my mom spends
$100 on each of us kids. Yup! Only $100! And we are FINE! I have NEVER felt ripped off
on Christmas! We have always had enough, and we didn't get spoiled (which is a pretty
good bonus)! She followed a lot of these tips to get a LOT of stuff for us for only $100.
2. Make a gift!
It's fun, easy (sometimes), cheap, one-of-a-kind, personalized, uses recycled
materials, and people LOVE it!
3. Buy something handmade on Etsy
Support the wonderful artists (including me :P ) that are selling their handmade items
online! Whatever you get, it is sure to be completely original and one-of-a-kind! Plus,
you're supporting PEOPLE (not corporations)!
4. Buy things at thrift stores, and consignment shops
This is probably the best tip to buying cheap Christmas presents. You never know what
you'll find at a thrift store! I have bought sooo many amaaaazing presents for people that
I never would have found (or at least for triple what I paid for it) somewhere else. This
also helps recycle things! It can't go to the dump if you're buying it!
5. Don't shop at Wal Mart
I already told you my thoughts on this earlier haha.
6. Bake cookies (or chocolate covered candy like I always do)
It's a fun Christmas tradition that I look forward to every year, and it makes such great
presents for people like the postman, your landlord, and neighbors! And plus, who
dosen't love chocolate?!!
7. You don't have to buy an ipod, and laptop, and phone, and camera...
When I was younger (wow that makes me feel old), I saved up for all that stuff! I worked
hard and bought myself my first mp3 player from saving up money from waitressing.
Same with my ipod and laptop I have now.
If you still want to get them those things, just get them ONE! It is INSANE to buy more
than one of those things for one person!
8. Buy Christmas presents for next Christmas, the week after Christmas!
It's a tradition for me, my mom, and my sister to go out a couple days after Christmas
and buy a bunch of the Christmas packaged gifts they have that is marked down 50-
75% after Christmas. They body washes and spray sets are good to give to people,
and are really cheap!
9. Shop for Christmas presents all year long
This is one of my other favorite tips for Christmas Shopping! All year long, whether I'm at
a garage sale, thrift store, or the clearance rack at the store, if I see something that
reminds me of somebody, or that I know they will love, I buy it! This is the biggest money
saver, and will make sure that you aren't stressed during the Holidays! Because think
about it; you won't have to rush around 3 weeks before Christmas, buying the first thing
you see for someone, cuz you can't find anything else, and don't have enough time to
thoroughly look for something good! And you will spread out your buying throughout the
year, meaning you won't have to drop all the money at once.
It is the beginning of December, and I am already done with all my Christmas shopping! I am NEVER stressed out during December, and I don't have to save all the money I make in the months of November and December, just to spend on gifts!
So why not try some of these tips, and not be stressed out for the Holidays, so you can actually enjoy them! It really is a good feeling :)
So why not try some of these tips, and not be stressed out for the Holidays, so you can actually enjoy them! It really is a good feeling :)
Peace Love and Christmas
Jess <3
