How to Celebrate the Holidays without Buying Gifts

 The holidays are fast approaching, and along with the many joys they

bring, high levels of stress are also part of the season.

Increasingly, buying gifts is one the biggest contributors to this

stress. If you really want to enjoy the spirit of the holidays, here

are some ways you can do it without buying gifts.

Before you spring the surprise to your family on Christmas morning,

bring everyone together ahead of time and talk to them about your

plan.  Start by highlighting the benefits of not having to buying gifts.

 Choosing Where to Apply Your Plan

 You are going to have to be very selective when it comes to applying

your plan. When it comes to little kids, you might want to retain the

joy of giving them what they want and wait until they are older.

Doing For Others

 If you are not going to buy gifts, the alternative is going to be

doing things for others.

 For your family and friends, you can make personalized gift cards for

all kinds of tasks. This can be rides, baby sitting, mowing the lawn,

washing cars and more. Use your imagination, you can also make the

gifts to really personalize the experience.

Some of the other things you can do include:

•    Volunteering for many of the organizations that need help during the

holiday season. Try to make it a family tradition to help others

moving forward.

•    Use the gift money to help charities or individuals in your

community with things they need.

•    Bring families that haven’t seen each other and can’t afford to do

so by buying tickets for them.

•    Talk to your neighbors and cook meals to feed the homeless in your community.

•    Support your local humane society.

If you decide to do away with gifts this year, you really can’t go

wrong .