Christmas is
the time of year that we take time for family, reflect on the “reason for the
season,” forget about the worries of
life, and are thankful for how we have been blessed as we give to one
another……..well, for some. Over the
years of financial advising, I have found that for most, and I may add, that it
seems to be worse in the last few years, that Christmas has become a time of
great financial anxiety. It actually has
become a day of guilt and depression.
Many know that they have overspent, yet, I don’t want to let down the
kids, or, I do not want to be labeled as a mean parent. “I will figure out some way to fix this after
the Holidays, I’ve done it before”.
I, personally, took some time to reflect back
on Christmas, for what I remembered the most. I cannot remember any present
that I received except the one that my brother broke for me the first day I got
it. Maybe this is due to me being old,
which could be the case. I do remember
some of the presents that I bought for various reasons. Such as, I wish I could have had it for me, I
wanted to bless a special person, or I knew that I had way overspent on
it. The things that I remember most are
the times that our family spent doing really crazy, goofy things. Spontaneous things like taking a walk in the
snow, freezing my hands, crying and complaining to get back home…I was a lot
younger of course…then going home to play with toys and presents that I don’t
even remember.
Even if you have already arrived at the point
of what I described earlier, I challenge you to still attempt to do something
spontaneous, or “off the wall” this year, with your family. I do not mean take your family to a snow bank
and freeze them, nor purposely make them suffer. That is not the point. It is to experience a quality time with the
whole family that is out of normal routine.
Break tradition. I promise it
will be remembered for years to come.
Merry Christmas.
Phil Wilder
