What I love most about Christmas is that it is a time for all the family to get together for food and fun.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Board games are a favourite for my family over the Christmas period, and not just Christmas day. I'm also a fan of setting up a jigsaw puzzle on the table so that everyone can work on it from time to time.
But I still love to see my family sit around the tree to open gifts on Christmas morning.
In recent years, finding a perfect Christmas gift - without breaking the bank - for each of my adult children and their partners, has become more challenging.
It was much easier when they were young children, and I have no trouble coming up with gifts for my grandchildren.
However, buying for adults is a bit harder. And I tend to wonder if too much time and money is spent buying gifts for the sake of buying gifts.
That is something most of us simply can't afford to do, especially in the current economic climate.
I have several friends who have made the Kris Kringle (Secret Santa) concept the key to their adult gift giving for many years.
A maximum spend limit is set, each person prepares a wish list within the bounds of that spend limit, and each person is assigned just one person for the purchase of a gift using the relevant wish list and sticking to the spend limit.
My adult children and their partners have also been doing this for several years and what I find is that each year they all get a lovely gift - exactly what they want - and the stress of Christmas shopping is gone.
However, I know that they then all struggle with what to buy their parents.
While I always love what they gift us, I don't like them spending too much on us as they have their own young families to look after.
I have suggested a few simple inexpensive things over the years but they have scoffed at my genuine request for a new watering can, thongs, or a new jigsaw puzzle.
So this year I requested that we be included in the Kris Kringle set up and they agreed.
Believe it or not this has meant that I have already completed my Christmas shopping for my gift recipient, and my husband is also organised for his recipient.
It was done with ease, we spent far less money and I feel confident that everyone will have a gift they really want on Christmas morning without anyone breaking the bank.
And then we can settle in to what we enjoy most - spending quality time with loved ones.
What is your tip for taking the stress and expense out of Christmas?
Jackie Meyers, editor
