With a pending career change, my husband and I knew that 2018 would be a year of transition for our family. To prepare for leaner times financially, I wanted to scale back on our 2017 Christmas. I decided we would do a “Dollar Store Christmas,” so the children would still have lots of presents to open Christmas morning, and not feel like they were missing out. Wow, was I wrong! Items at the Dollar Store are not a dollar anymore. By the time each of our four children opened their 15 very small gifts, I had spent way more than if I had just bought them each one nice present. Then there were the stockings! My attempt at a wonderful, inexpensive Christmas turned out to be a big waste of money. Most of the gifts ended up being thrown away a few weeks later, proving my husband’s infamous line that “plastic breaks!”

This year, instead of catching the Quantity Bug, I have purchased one gift per child at a reasonable price. Instead of shopping for stocking stuffers, I am spending that time and money creating memories with my children. Just this week, we made snowflakes out of coffee filters. Anyone who knows me will understand how much of a sacrifice this was for me—because we were already getting low on coffee filters, and I LOVE my coffee!

If you find yourself in a similar situation this year, where you want or need to scale back on Christmas, don’t catch the Quantity Bug like I did. Focus on things that will create life-long memories with your children. Invest your time and money in things that are priceless to your family, even if that is coffee filters! Finally, please remember that the One we are truly celebrating at Christmas does not ask for our worldly gifts but for our hearts and homes!

Merry Christmas!

Katie is a proud Canadian. A follower of Jesus with a passion for one to one ministry. Wife to pastor Kent. Homeschooling Mom to four beautiful children. Sales rep for The Old Schoolhouse Canadian Division.