The Quiet Panic of an Upcoming Season

It's official.  The holiday season has started.  One can barely get the candy out of the bag when those first inevitable signs of future spending start popping up.  One of the traditional first ads to run is a jewelry commercial, selling mall diamonds, in the hopes men will get it done and forget about it.  Then there are the department store ads, first the Targets and WalMarts and, soon to come, Macy's and others.  It is all part of the rhythm of the year, whether you celebrate Christmas or any other holiday or not.   What are we thinking about if our wallets are a little leaner this year?  Weren't they last year as well?  Is it going to be another year of trying to time shopping for the absolute rock bottom sale price?  A year of not caring about sales?  A year of home-made goodies or a year of exchanging simple good wishes and nothing more?  Regardless, there is probably some financial stress in there. 

How can we work to reduce this stress?  Obviously, planning ahead is one tried and true method.  Creating a holiday budget--and sticking to it--goes a long way.  A holiday budget needs to include not just gifts and travel, but entertaining as well.  Even home-made gifts cost money, bringing house gifts to those who invite you or having 10 or 20 people for a holiday meal adds up.Then there are the office party gifts to consider, the babysitters, postal employees and others you just want to recognize.

Diminished expectations also help.  We are a year or so into the "new reality" of saving more, spending less and reconnecting with families in old-fashioned ways, and the holidays are certainly part of this.  Families may drop hints, subtle and otherwise, that these habits are now part of the annual landscape.  Participating in charitable work, a healthy year-round habit, may find an introduction during this time of year.  What a great way to help children appreciate what they do have and find out how great it feels to help others.

It's early November.  Where we live the weather is still temperate and pleasant.  Multi-colored leaves remain on the trees, albeit much sparser than a week ago when a heavy rain brought many of them to earth.  This is a great time to gather your thoughts and resolve what will and will not happen over the holiday season from a spending point of view.  Make your financial plans, accept them for what they are and then breathe.