Thanksgiving Heading Into Christmas

My family celebrated Thanksgiving in a city that took several hours of driving to arrive in.  Once there our kids and their cousins had a blast making a lot of noise, some messes, and eating a lot of food, some healthy and some not.

A bit of a tradition in our families is to go around the table and ask everyone what they are thankful for.  The kids outnumbered the adults about 3:1 and they expressed thanks for some very interesting things.  I though I would share some of them with you.

The kids expressed thanks for:

• Our rabbits (we've had rabbits for about 3 months)
• Lego Star Wars game
• Our house
• Daddy's job
• A van that works
• Being able to see so many cousins
• That grandpa's cancer is better (knock on wood)
• Good friends
• Our food and clothing

Other than the Lego Star Wars game (mentioned by a 7 year old) the kids were grateful for things that, to me, matter more than just material possessions.  Just hearing the kids talk about the tings they did made the trip feel worthwhile, and they will be able to build on those relationships with their cousins every time we visit.

We have involved our children in a lot of activities this year, increasing some of our costs, especially in September, and as a result we are looking at what we can do with our Christmas shopping that is effective but will cost less.  Last year the average Canadian family spent about $1,218 on Christmas, including food and gifts.  As you start your Christmas shopping, keep in mind the following:

• Make your list and check it twice
• Leave the kids at home
• Give yourself lots of time unless your list is short
• Don't leave it 'til the last minute
• Take advantage of free gift wrapping (saving both time and money)
• Think gift card if you are agonizing over the perfect gift
• Remember to tuck away your receipts and check the return/exchange policy before you buy
• Call ahead if you want a "hot item" - this could save you time and exasperation
• Cut down your Christmas card list considerably
• Do your own baking and resist store-made cakes, pies, cookies and other holiday sweets

Try to avoid going into debt for all of this by putting away $50/pay cheque so that you actually have the cash to pay for your gifts.  And always remember, after all the toys are out, the kids will probably spend as much time just playing with the cardboard boxes as with the toys that came in them.  The best memories that most people have from childhood have little to do with the dollar figure spent and more to do with the time devoted to them.  Jerry