How to avoid holiday pressure to overspend this year

Madison Avenue Advertising Firms do their darndest to make you feel bad if you don’t max out all of your credit cards buying their useless crappola for everyone you have ever met at Christmas time. So how can you get to this Christmas season without incurring mountains of debt and still feel good about yourself? Let’s begin by understanding that someone has to be the adult hear, it might as well be you.

Then remind yourself of the reason for the season. It’s called Christ–mas. Christians the world over celebrate the birth some two millennia ago of the very son of God, the Christ Child who came that all may be saved from fire, brimstone, hell, and eternal damnation and live forever. The greatest gift ever given was from God who gave his only son. The reason we give gifts is to reflect our gratefulness and to follow his example. It truly is not the gift we give at Christmas time, but the thought that counts.

As craft people we are able to take pennies and turn them into big dollars. We are very close to Christmas day so for those still needing gifts, there is nothing easier and quicker or, more universally desired than a handmade pen. Quality pen kits can go from $4–$5 up to perhaps $20. The perceived value can be from $25 to in excess of $100. Pens can be made in as little as 15 minutes. Most people will cherish and treasure your handmade item for many many years. In case you didn’t know, pens are the second best–selling turned item in the world. The most popular turned item is kitchenware such as a bowl.

Any handmade turned item has intrinsically more value than something you pick up at the local department store. Any of the following items are quick and inexpensive to make would be more than welcome by anyone worthy of receiving a gift to begin with:

pens or pencils, any small turned lidded box, an acorn lidded box, any kitchen utensils such as a spatula a scoop or a ladle, a simple peppermill, bottle stoppers, kids always love toys like spinning tops, for the wee ones how about a hand turned baby rattle, honey lovers in your family? How about a hand turned honey dipper, a simple rolling pen for the bakers in your world, and don’t forget a fancy Mason jar lid, perhaps even a pendant utilizing that beautiful leftover scrap of wood you’ve been saving.

There are many more items like these that are destined to become treasured heirlooms. Put on your thinking cap and get out in that shop. And if this advice comes too late for Christmas 2014, it’s good advice for next year.