Tips & Information

Giving a Gift from the Heart

As I write this I’m actually preparing to leave for Wisconsin to join my family for an early Christmas celebration. You know its love when you leave sunny, light jacket days in California to spend a week in single digit freezing weather. I don’t even have boots!

If you are still doing the last minute holiday shopping, be sure you are staying very conscious and working with a plan. For those of you who are working with my Budget Kit Workbook don’t forget to utilize all the handy worksheets available for this type of planning.

When you list everyone’s name and a dollar guideline on the “Gift Giving Worksheet” you’ll have more structure for your spending. The “Christmas/Holiday Expense Worksheet” will help you remember to budget all the other holiday expenses involved - like the shipping, groceries for parties, entertainment, household decorations, gift wrap and the like. And finally, the “Source of Money for Gifts and Holiday Expenses Worksheet” will help you pull it all together so you have a very specific plan for covering all the holiday expenses. This will help you avoid that financial holiday hangover in January.

HOLIDAY TIP – If you tend to do most of your shopping at one or two stores and have decided on your dollar limit, consider buying a store gift card for that amount to keep your gift shopping in check. More and more people are telling me how they use this method to establish their financial boundaries.

Whether it’s reducing your Starbucks fix from $100 to $50 on a gift card, or setting up your monthly grocery budget on a store card, or limiting your holiday purchases to a finite amount on these prepaid cards, do what works best for you.

Giving a Gift from the Heart

This month, as we know, tends to get pretty commercial, so my goal is to bring in a balancing perspective. To do this, I wanted to share an excerpt from an article recently written by my friend Cheryl Thompson, the founder of www.BetheBiggerYou.com.

Do You Have a Gift from Your Heart?
By Cheryl Thompson

As I ask myself what I want my children to remember about Christmas, I realize I’ve only got 3 more years while they’re at home before it will be too late to do any more teaching (or nagging as my kids call it). This year, I decided that everyone (me, my hubby Dennis, and 3 kids) must give a gift from the heart.

How many more power tools, bath and body lotion sets and gift cards does one family need? Oh yes, we all love buying for our loved ones, but this year I decided we had to do more than plunk over the green Benjamins or swipe the credit card. We each have to give a gift from our heart.

The parameters for a gift from the heart are this…it must be something you make or create, not something you buy. It must be personalized for the person who is receiving it and it must take you some time, and thought into what you are putting together. This is a gift that is special. No one else can make this gift, but you.

Now, when the kids heard this, they gasped! What is a gift from the heart? Why do WE have to do this? Can’t we just buy the stuff like we always do? How am I going to think of a gift from the heart? I heard it all. I just didn’t listen to any of it.

A lot of moaning and groaning went on (at least two weeks worth). But now I’m hearing small tinkerings of ideas, creations and brainstorming. My 14-year old son Travis is scheming about his special gift for Dad. I’m creating special writings for all 4. Dennis is building a cat scratcher for our 20 year old daughter’s cat Roxy, who is driving her crazy in her tiny duplex. A gift from his hands, and heart.

It’s working. The hearts are working. The love is spreading. The gifts from the heart, I’m convinced, will be the most special gifts of Christmas.

Because, after all, isn’t that what Jesus was from God. His gift from the heart. His precious, Holy son. Sent from above to save the entire world.

So perhaps it’s time to quit shopping, and start loving. I challenge you: this Christmas, give a gift from your heart. Because gifts from the heart are priceless treasures. And you are filled with them.

Cheryl Thompson, is the founder of www.BeTheBiggerYou.com. She is a speaker, author of 8 books and a personal growth expert. To get information on her ‘Get a Grip! Life Organizer’ or to receive a FREE copy of her Live Biiig! Bi-Weekly ezine along with her 7 day e-course The Worn-Out Woman: How to Go from Tired to Terrific, simply visit our website.

So now with these few remaining weeks in the month and the year, be sure to make this season one of true peace and joy. Respect your priorities, your time and your money.

As always, I appreciate the email feedback. Please keep it up! It’s always exciting to hear your comments.

Remember you are always welcome to contact me with your budget questions and concerns. Be sure to check out my 30 minute coaching offer in the Spe*cial Offer section.

Thank you so much for being part of my online “family”.

Have a very abundant and fulfilling 2005.

For more information, feel free to contact me at
judycents@moneytracker.com

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