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Holiday Spending

November 22nd, 2017 at 03:56 pm

MH just bought some concert tickets (including one for my dad). I told him that we should just cover it. Make it a Christmas present. Is the same gift he got last year (but a different band).

This is about how much thought/energy I am giving to the season. We don't celebrate in any big or materialistic way. I'll be figuring out some other gifts, but nothing I have to "plan" for or will spend much energy on. We don't save any money for Christmas, accordingly.

For us, the focus continues to be more and more on charity every year. I am still not in a place where I have any time for the Holidays. So though we generally give more time than money, there's not a lot we sign up for this time of year. It's easier for us to just write checks in the month of December. But I am taking the week off after Thanksgiving and I saw that someone needed help with a giving tree, and so I volunteered to help. Will see how it goes and if I want to do the same next year. (I've volunteered for the sorting in the past, which is probably more my thing, but this year I signed up to shop).

Other than that, we usually donate my Christmas bonus ($200). To the local food bank and the animal shelters, though it varies.

In addition, we are getting a $1,000 check (from in-laws) to donate to charities of our choice. This is a new tradition. They started last year with $500. For this year, $1,000 has been thrown out. Wow! I am SO EXCITED about this! I don't know why I find that number so mind blowing. Because it is 4 figures? I don't know. It sounds/feels like so much more than we have been able to give in the past.

9 Responses to “Holiday Spending”

  1. My English Castle Says:
    1511371348

    That extra charity cash is so fun. Do you prefer to concentrate on one place or spread the joy around?

  2. MonkeyMama Says:
    1511372019

    MEC - it depends. Last year we enjoyed giving it all to one place. This year was so brutal that I imagine we will probably spread it around (so many natural disasters, plus feeling more need to give to organizations like ACLU).

  3. MonkeyMama Says:
    1511372748

    @MEC - it depends. Last year we enjoyed giving it all to one place. This year was so brutal that I imagine we will probably spread it around (so many natural disasters, plus feeling more need to give to organizations like ACLU).

    When the world doesn't feel on the brink of apocalypse, I'd probably prefer to concentrate and make a bigger difference to one or two organizations.

  4. terri77 Says:
    1511482602

    What a generous gift from your in-laws! That's going to be so much fun deciding where the money goes. I love giving to my local food bank because they really make the money go far.

  5. rob62521 Says:
    1511483642

    Wow, it's wonderful that you concentrate on charities. It shows how you think so much of others instead of turning inward and concentrating on just yourselves. That's a generous gift from the in-laws as well. Happy donating!

  6. scfr Says:
    1511548393

    How wonderful that your in-laws are giving money for you to donate to the charity of YOUR choice! That sounds like a major win-win, as your desire to have a non-materialistic Christmas is met, and their desire to give in a big way is also met.

  7. MonkeyMama Says:
    1511571658

    @scfr - HA! Unfortunately, it is not a win-win. *sigh* This is my totally insane MIL. There will be absolutely nothing non-materialistic about Christmas with them. But I welcome some sanity to balance out the insanity.

  8. scfr Says:
    1511619406

    lol - My bad for assuming the donation money was an "in lieu of" gift!

  9. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    1511833732

    That is a wonderful gift!

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