Broke for holidays - how do you deal with it?

[Gerrygal]

Originally Posted by FluidFreedom

I think the posts about making the holidays more about family and time spent together are the best posts. It shouldn't be about gifts or how much you spend or feeling obligated to get gifts for everyone. It should be about enjoying time with loved ones.

Well said. We used to spend a fortune on Christmas gifts, but those days are long gone (I spent years paying off debt for one credit card I used to buy gifts for). Not anymore. I paid off and closed that account years ago. We thought we might have a little extra cash this year, but it was eaten up by car repairs.

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Mr. Edwards, their only neighbor, walked forty miles to Independence, MO, and bought gifts for Laura and Mary Ingalls. He may have gone on other business, but he spent quite a bit on them. They each got a tin cup, peppermint stick, tiny heart shape cake--made from white flour--and a penny. A penny! They didn't expect to see or handle money until they were adults. The clincher is that he had to walk forty miles to get there.

Though the gifts were extravagant for the time and place, there wouldn't have been any unless he'd walked 80 miles round trip.

A bit OT, but still fits the theme of gifts---


I asked my elderly aunt what they got for Easter. They grew up on a farm during the Depression. She said they each got to take eggs from the hen house to eat. The eggs were usually sold for needed cash, so eating eggs was a rare treat. No huge baskets full of chocolates, gifts, etc BTW, they all grew up just fine!