Before I get a bevy of “right thinkers” complaining about how I am being insensitive talking about Christmas, tough! If you go into work on that day, you can complain, otherwise, lump it. I am sick and tired of this whole Holiday instead of Christmas right think that has consumed right thinking folks. I have no issue with Kwanzaa, Chanukah, or not celebrating it, just don’t get bent out of shape when I talk about Christmas.
Gifts you shouldn’t give your kids (ever) was a helpful post from a while back. I have also spoken on this topic about asking the question Is re-gifting gauche. Here are some more really helpful tips for those who read financial blogs to find out great Christmas Gifts for their loved ones, and have no idea what to get for Christmas:
Fake your own death
Given how much is spent on Christmas, this might not be that bad an idea. Disappear, and reappear in March claiming you had amnesia. This way you pocket all of the money you would have spent on Christmas. A better idea, is take your Christmas money, and hide out somewhere warm. Remember not to come back with a nice tan (that might be a dead giveaway). No this isn’t a new idea, I borrowed it from General Hospital (or Days of our Lives), I like to think of it as the Soap Opera Option.
I am too busy for Christmas
Just never go and meet up with anyone who you might exchange gifts with until July of next year. You’d think this wouldn’t work but Michael James and I did this and we had Christmas in August this year (it works nicely). Claim you have a lot of work, or are on a business trip, or whatever.
Re-gifting
I still maintain this is the best thing to do for Christmas. You have to be careful that you have kept track of who gave you the gift originally, and once you start doing this, you can’t complain if you catch someone re-gifting to you (unless it is a gift you gave them), but it is the easiest money-saving Christmas gift idea.
Religious flip-flopping
Can work if you do a little research first. Claiming you are now a Buddhist or a Druid can work for you, but you really must sell it hard or folks will resent you for it. On the Druid side of things, you can get out of impromptu Christmas things if there is a tree, and you can complain that adorning the tree is an insult to your religious beliefs, and leave in a huff.
Hopefully these helpful hints will aid you in saving a few bucks this Christmas Season. If you must give gifts, remember that Christianity is not based on the following tenet:
Love is measured by the price of the gift given
Anonymous
Religious flip-flopping sounds good. I’d like to start observing all religious holidays. By “observe” I mean take all the days off from work, not actually partake in any religious rituals.
Unless the rituals have to do with eating a lot, watching football and then falling asleep on the couch (that seems to be what Christmas and Thanksgiving is).