What We Stopped Spending Money On at Christmas

Christmas comes with a lot of built-in expectations, and most of them involve spending. At some point, we had to decide we weren’t going to fund every “should.” We started asking, “Do we even like this? Does it matter to our family?”

Once we got honest about that, a few things quietly fell off the list—and we haven’t missed them.

Excess Decor and New “Themes”

We stopped chasing a new look every year: new colors, new ornaments, new signs. Reusing what we love saves money and storage space, and the house still feels plenty festive.

If something breaks or really needs replacing, we handle that. But “because it’s cute” isn’t enough reason anymore.

Matching Outfits for Every Event

Coordinated outfits for pictures, parties, and church added up. Now we stick to clothes we’ll wear again and things we mostly already own.

Nobody has ever pulled me aside in January and said, “You know, your Christmas sweater didn’t match your kids’ pajamas.”

Big Adult Gift Exchanges

We’ve cut way back on adult gifts outside our own house. Name draws, experience gifts, or skipping adult gifts altogether freed up a lot of budget.

Adults are usually relieved when someone finally says, “Can we simplify this?”

Extra “Filler” Gifts for Kids

The little add-ons at the end—cheap toys, novelty items, extra candy—used to sneak right into the cart. They didn’t add real joy; they added clutter. Now we stick to a set number of gifts and let that be enough.

High-Pressure Holiday Events

Tickets, parking, special snacks, photos—some events cost more than they’re worth for our stage of life. We pick a couple we truly enjoy and say no to the rest. The kids remember the time, not how many venues we hit.