Kate’s Guide to a Very Merry Christmas
Once again Christmas is upon us, a time that hits differently this year as we reflect on the year that’s been and many of us remain separated from loved one’s overseas. To compensate for the feelings I’ve had about 2020, I’ve gone all out with Christmas this year.
From ordering a tree at the start of November to creating an uplifting Christmas playlist, I have been fully embracing the festive spirit and letting it distract me from reality. There’s something about terrible Christmas movies that lets you forget about the surrounding reality, even just for 90 cringe worthy minutes.
If you’re needing a little bit of help getting into the swing of things this year, here are some notable (and mostly low-cost) ways to put a bit of pep back into your step.
Remember, your family wouldn’t want you to go into debt for them for Christmas.
Christmas Presents
If you’re a practical person and are looking for a relatively low-cost gift that will provide a tremendous amount of value, here are some of my favourite personal finance books for gifting this year.
- The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
- Money School — Lacey Filipch
- How To Decide — Annie Duke
- Shareplicity — Danielle Ecuyer
- Financial Autonomy — Paul Benson
- Smashed Avocado — Nicole Haddow
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something a little more fun, I would highly suggest supporting small Aussie businesses this year. Here are a few ideas that I’ve found for my own gift giving this Christmas!
- Crackle
- Sweet Bakes
- 99th Monkey
- Neptune Blanket
- The Quick Flick
- Hey Tiger Chocolate
Christmas Food
Given Christmas will be slightly different this year, many people will be opting for smaller gatherings, outdoor meals and picnics. When I asked a few chefs how to do Christmas well on a tight budget, they
Another great way to keep costs down at Christmas time is by sharing the costs (and food prep) among all family members. Why doesn’t one person get put in charge of ham, another stuffing and maybe even someone else on pudding duty. I even saw that HelloFresh are selling Christmas packs this year, I’m sure there’s a great market for that considering the time involved in food prep, before and during the big day.
Christmas Holidays
To round off the Christmas break, we’re used to our two week great escape starting on Christmas Eve, from the trials and tribulations of study, work and the business of life. Although we may be constrained to the borders of our own country this Summer, here are some ways to make sure the Summer break is still a memorable one.
- Go camping
- Rent an AirBnB cabin in the country or near the beach
- Hire a caravan
- Visit Tasmania (maybe that one’s just me…)
I hope you have a very merry and safe Christmas, and enjoy the well-deserved break from the challenges of 2020! I look forward to hitting the ground running once the clock ticks over into 2021 and getting you ready for a brand-new year.
Kate — HTM Editor & Host
If you’re interested in learning more about money and personal finance, catch us on the How To Money podcast which you can find on iTunes, Spotify or via our online web-player.
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