Spend Less Give More is my favorite motto this time of year. Of course, we’re all looking for creative ways to control spending, while giving more! Making the holiday richer means focusing on the things that matter most.
Fond Memories of Frugality
Frugality is a generational way of life for our family. Oh, the stories of my mom’s ability to pinch a penny! One Christmas, Dad brought home boxes of cotton balls because, as a doctor, he could get them cheap at his office. Then, our family spent laughter-filled hours threading fluffy white cotton into a flurry of snow right before a Christmas party.
Snow never looked so magical. Lucky for us, professional decor is not a criteria for fun parties. Fortunately, my parents’ enthusiasm for jitterbug was inspiring, and, yes, free!
Giving More of Ourselves
Are you spending Christmas with small children? In this episode of Fireside Talk Radio, Anna Krafve Pierce offers the gift of freedom from holiday stress!
Christmas with Small Children? The Gift of Freedom from Holiday Stress with Anna Krafve Pierce
In keeping with the Spend Less Give More theme, here are 5 tips for making your own holiday magic.
Spend Less, Give More
#1 Laugh More.
Jokes are free on the internet. I only keep one or two ready because that’s all the punch lines I can remember. Still, it’s good to have something funny to offer in the awkward moments that inevitably happen at cocktail parties this time of year. Everybody loves an excuse to smile. Certainly, laughter is a great gift for everyone’s heart. (*See below for some of my favorite one-liners this year for young parents.)
#2 Make More Soup.
There’s nothing like a warm crock pot filled with delicious left over chicken repurposing itself into the easiest, best dinner ever. To make more, add a jar of Italian spaghetti sauce. Wash the jar, fill it with soup, and take it to a neighbor. Ah, the tender gift of your loving neighborliness, seasoned with a warm cup of soup!
#3 Smell More Roses.
Who has time to stop and smell the roses this time of year? But, no one knows what tomorrow brings. Fortunately, the holidays are a perfect excuse to slow it down and focus on those you love. Hold a hand, pat a back, cherish someone you love. Make hot chocolate and sit quietly for your own soul’s sake. This is also the perfect gift to give yourself.
#4 Sing More Silly Songs.
Our family loves to make up opera songs. Our renditions are very dramatic, loud, and substantially off-key. #OverPerformedUnderTalented might be a hashtag at my house!
#5 Say More Prayers.
Prayers are free, as my friend Dr. Sasha Vukelja so wisely pointed out recently. Even for those who may cringe at the thought of a loving heavenly Father, what if He’s really out there and He’s listening? Yes, doubts can sneak up on all of us, especially this time of the year when there’s so much pressure to be merry. However, even for those with a wee bit of grinch-like doubt, if ever there was a time when our prayers might get heard, wouldn’t it be most likely when we celebrate the Savior’s arrival to our human condition? Why not take a chance and ask God for something. Prayer is free and, well, what if God answers with a yes?!
Less and More All Mixed Together
May your holiday be filled with less and more all mixed up together. Less distractions and more simplicity, less burdens and more comfort, less stuff and more joy. May your heart recognize all the beautiful, pure love floating out there around you just looking for a place to land! My sincere prayer is that you know the same love we celebrate this time of year, the love of the Savior who willingly gave Himself for you!
By the way, I just checked on Pinterest. #SpendLessGiveMore is not a thing there yet. However, #SpendLessGiveMore is a thing on Instagram with 172 posts; I am now following it. I hope it’s not naughty. And I hope your holiday is really nice, not too naughty, and spent surrounded by those who love you richly!
May I pray for you?
Dear Father in heaven, all around us are people You love. Some of them are bustling to get their shopping finished, some are feeling lonely, some are doing both at the same time. You know our hearts, O Lord. Please comfort us as we miss those who are not celebrating with us this year. Where we feel rejected or lonely, comfort us. As we go about our day, make us aware of the many ways You show Your love for each of us. Give us joy to share throughout the coming weeks as we gather with others to celebrate and proclaim Your Son’s great love for us. Teach us to give with Your glory in mind. In Jesus’s name we pray.
We love to hear from you!
How have you changed the way you do holidays to make them better? Is there a favorite way your family does giving this time of year? How is less making room for more in your life?
This Wisdom is Free!!
If, like us, your life is filled with multi-generational family, or, if you’re single-handedly managing family holidays solo, you may want to check out the blogs we’ve done with Robyn Boyd, Benjamin Simpson, Sandra Beck, Chris Legg, and Marina Schroeder. Don’t forget, Anna is returning soon for more creative fun with kiddos. Or, you can sign up for our blog by clicking here (and we sure hope you do!!!)
*Jokes for Parents of Youngsters:
Did you hear what the kids are giving Mom and Dad for Christmas this year? No, what? Punchline: A list of everything they want! (Adapted from a joke submitted by Calvin L., Orlando, Florida to https://boyslife.org/features/24222/25-days-of-funny-christmas-jokes/)
How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing. It was on the house! How do you help someone who’s lost their Christmas spirit? Nurse them back to elf. (From https://thoughtcatalog.com/melanie-berliet/2017/11/50-funny-clean-christmas-jokes-that-will-get-you-in-the-holiday-spirit/)
Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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