Family Law

Holiday Tips for Couples :: The Giving of Gifts

By J. Benjamin Stevens

The gift-giving tradition can put a lot of financial and emotional stress on a couple. On the Holmes and Rahe psychological stress scale, Christmas traditions are listed as more stressful than minor law violations, and financial difficulties rank equal to the death of a close friend. Combined? Bah! Humbug!

• Set a budget. Keep the 'ghost of Christmas past' from haunting your credit card statements and your thoughts. Look at your finances together and create a realistic spending limit for the Christmas season. Account for any upcoming expenditures you may have in the new year. Marriage therapist Marion Goertz recommends enlisting an objective third party if you and your spouse can't agree on a budget.
• Make a list and check it twice. Work with your spouse to decide who you'll bless with gifts. If your budget is tight this year, don't be afraid to take cost-cutting measures. For example, you could give one gift per family instead of one to each individual.
• Get creative. You don't have to buy your presents from the shopping mall. Baked goods and handmade crafts can be budget-friendly and memorable.
• Don't wait until December 24th. Last-minute shopping is rushed, stressful and often offers up nothing but the slimmest of pickings. Keep an eye out for sales all year and store the gifts until Christmas. 'Christmas . . . doesn't sneak up on you,' writes David Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover, saying that there's no reason for not being prepared. If you plan in advance, you'll save money and cut down on stress.

Source:  "De-Stressing Christmas: 11 Tips for Handling Common Holiday Tensions for Couples" by Josh Duvauchelle, published at Focus on the Family (Canada).

Full post as published by SC Family Law Blog on December 20, 2010 (boomark / email).