Christmas and the holiday season can be one of the happiest times of the year. Well, Christmas Day can be.
The weeks between Black Friday and Dec. 25 have the tendency to feel less magical and more miserable. Between final papers, exams, packing up my dorm room, and my friends’ Secret Santa exchange, I have found next to no time for my Christmas shopping. And when I have found gifts I want to purchase, they are way too expensive to justify purchasing.
I come from a Southern family where quality family time is a priority, especially on holidays. The result is my Christmas break being jam packed with family events. My Christmas Day has always been 12 straight hours of meals and visiting different family member’s houses.
As a young kid, I loved this. My grandparents always spoiled me and my parents knew exactly what gift would make me and my sister smile. But now that I’ve aged out of Barbie dolls and remote control cars, the holidays look different. I have crossed the threshold of giftee to gifter.
Don’t get me wrong. I will still get Christmas presents this year, but it’s different. Whereas a drawing I did with crayons counted as a heartfelt gift to my mom 10 years ago, I can’t really give that gift again at 18.
I absolutely love giving gifts, making loved ones smile, and showing them I appreciate them. A lot of people do. But for college kids, a lot of us are just not in the place to spend hundreds of dollars on Christmas gifts.
This is the reality for more than just college students, though. The average US consumer plans to spend $654 on Christmas gifts alone this year. Personally, that is not feasible for me—and a lot of people I know.
The truth is a gift does not need a high price tag to depict its worth. I remember hand making a friendship bracelet one Christmas for my dad, and he still has it on his nightstand today. The gifts that will stand the test of time are those that come from a place of love.
I was a crafty kid. I loved Rainbow Loom and braiding friendship bracelets. I colored pictures and painted with my mom. And that craft craze didn’t end when I grew up.
Some of the best—and cheapest—gifts you can give are homemade ones. If you can buy a ball of yarn and a crochet hook, totaling less than $15, you can make someone a beanie or a scarf. Crocheting and knitting are two self-taught skills that are surprisingly easier than people think.
If you aren’t the crafty type, baked goods can always be a good gift alternative. It is hard to find something completely free to give that is actually worth receiving, but baking your gift could be cheaper.
It’s no secret that Christmas is expensive. Buying gifts is one of the ways people show appreciation during this holiday season, but price does not always correlate to meaning.
Some of the best gifts could be handmade, upcycled, or repurposed ones. One of the biggest misconceptions about Christmas is that you have to spend $50 or more on a personalized gift for someone.
Big companies don’t actually care about you giving your friend the perfect gift, they just push any product they think you’ll buy.
As we go into this season of giving, remember that one of the best things you can give someone is your love and time all year round, so don’t feel pressured to empty your wallet this December.
