Welcome to your De-Stress Your Christmas Advent Calendar count-down – day 18.

Today we’re looking at finding a solution to feeling broke – but still wanting to give people fabulous Christmas gifts.

It’s that all-too-familiar feeling – knowing you want to splurge to show people how much you love them, but also knowing you don’t want to wake up with a massive financial hangover in January.

The shops are overflowing with beautifully-packaged gifts and glitzy websites promise your loved-ones instant happiness, if only you click the ‘add to cart’ button and let them ship you yet another expensive must-have.

Resisting the temptation can feel hard.

So here are some ideas to help you – and I want to start with a ‘duh!’ moment reminder:

If anyone judges you for the gift you give them, it says more about them than about you.

Some quick tips:

• Are areas where you could cut back without anyone noticing, so you can more easily afford those special treats?
• Could you manage people’s expectations? And remember: “failing” to “keep up with the Joneses” is less embarrassing than having the extreme of those same neighbours seeing a bailiff pop round, come the spring…
• Could you set yourself a budget to help you get more creative and get maximum value for your money?
• Could you make some of the gifts, instead of buying them? You don’t have to be super-creative – and the internet is full of ideas.
• Could you come up with ideas that don’t cost cash – for example a voucher for a baby-sitting evening? Or an offer to clean the car once a month? Or a voucher for a home-cooked candlelit dinner? Or a voucher for an afternoon of gardening? You know who you are giving to – I’m quite sure there would be things they would love that wouldn’t cost you physical cash. And it might mean much more to them than an impulse-buy from a shop shelf.

A simple gift, chosen with love and given from the heart, will mean more than a glitzy gift, once the Christmas fuss has died down.

It’s Not About How Much You Spend.
It’s about the love that goes into choosing the present…

Try not to get trapped in the stress of “but I’ve given so-and-so something worth that much and I now have to buy something for their partner, worth the same amount.”

It’s not a competition.

Buy your gift (or make it!) with love and forget about the price. It’s the love that counts.

And if it doesn’t for that person, you probably shouldn’t be buying them a present anyway…

I’m curious: how could you find a way around this? Are you stuck in the not-enough-budget trap? Whose expectations have you been trying to fulfil? Here’s where to share:

Click to share your answers on Facebook

Being cheeky – how about helping them to change their life?

I’m being really cheeky here – but I’ve written some books that people tell me have helped them to really create shifts in their lives – and that is one of the most potent gifts you can share with someone.
Books really pack a punch on the value-for-money scale. Here’s where you can find mine – and there’s still time to get them delivered before Christmas: Clare Josa’s Books
If you enjoyed this article, then here’s where you can find the rest of your Advent Calendar – and scroll down to register for a free quick reminder, so you catch each instalment – AND a gift copy of my book: 101 Ways To De-Stress Your Christmas.

I would LOVE to hear how you got on with today’s message, via the comments.

See you tomorrow with Day 19!

With love, Namaste,