Remember it is the thought that counts

I love the Christmas season. I love the idea of it - I love Christmas movies and have fond memories from my childhood. I don't know about you, but I am, and have always been, a big gift giver at Christmas. I usually do not like to shop in stores but this is the exception to the rule. I love shopping for gifts for my family. I like a few clues as to what they have been hoping for but I am pretty good at guessing what each member of my family would enjoy.

Choosing for friends, spouses and significant others can be tricky! Dangerous even!  Since I know that giving everybody a gift can really put a damper on your resources, I always try to stick with safe choices such as homemade goodies, a holiday ornament or decorative item or stationery goods.

As I have said many times before, the best way to get around spending too much at Christmas as well as spending too much time at the shoppes, is to plan!

Since the beginning of my gift-giving career, which I think was middle school, I have kept elaborate records of the gifts I give and even the ones I receive.  When my gift-giving efforts amounted to less than 20 people per year, I used a journal to keep track of the gifts I selected over the years. Imagine how helpful this was when I went shopping the next year and avoid duplication from person to person.  

Once we started having children, added household help and after school activities, I had to develop a system that symbolised the effort I set before me.  Since I am good at charts and tables, a simple table with the appropriate columns was easy enough to create in Word.  Initially, I printed the table on lined notebook paper and added stickers for effect.  As the years progressed, and we had more sons, I created a sleeker gift log that reflected my unique affinity for fine stationery, which I print on weighted bond paper.  After storing in a decorative binder, I can check the log each year before we set out to gift our family and friends.

Whether you are giving gifts for just family or extend your list to include community helpers, teachers, coaches and neighbours, keeping track of your gifts will definitely help you spend less money, allow you to take advantage of post-holiday or advance sales and set aside time to enjoy the season without stressing out.  Happy Christmas!