For many, times are hard and money’s scarce. And on the surface we know that digging a financial hole to celebrate Christmas isn’t a great idea, yet getting swept along with the festivities is surprisingly easy to do.
There’s payday loans, Klarna, and other “interest-free” temptations around every corner, the pressure to buy now, worry later is real. Believe me, I know, I made the mistake of getting a couple of store credit cards in my early twenties and spent, spent, spent! It was all going so well, until I maxed them out and had to actually pay for the clothes and the interest that built up quicker than you could say, ‘that’s sooo last season’.
It was a harsh lesson and a costly one, but I swiftly realised that the latest must have fashion item that I was so excited to charge to my store credit card, didn’t fill me with quite as much joy as I thought it would, and by the time I’d eventually paid it off with an eyewatering amount of interest on top of the original price, it’d be in a heap in the bottom of my wardrobe or carted off to the charity shop with a load of other stuff I’d simply had to have at the time.
And I think that happens a lot at Christmas. I completely understand the urge to spoil the people we love at Christmas, especially children. It’s natural to want to treat them. But the level of consumerism we’re pushed toward, by social media, adverts, and of course the “Joneses” who are buying little Johnny the latest iPhone and anything else he points at, has reached ridiculous heights. Santa seems to have gone from quietly shimmying down the chimney and leaving a little something nice, to delivering an Everest sized mountain of gifts, sometimes a hundred or more per person. It’s overwhelming. Honestly, I’m amazed Santa hasn’t put his back out, and that the reindeer haven’t contacted their union representative by now.
And I’m not saying you shouldn’t do lovely things for the people you care about. If showering people with presents brings you joy, and brings them joy too, then absolutely go for it. Truly.
What I am saying is that this isn’t the norm for many families. And if you find yourself looking at those over-the-top displays and measuring your own Christmas against theirs, thinking that more money you spend equals more love, or that children will adore you more because you bought the priciest gadgets… then it’s time to pause and take a reality check. By the time the snow has melted, many of those gifts won’t be looked at, or used ever again, especially the stocking filler type ones that we’ve all bought to ‘pad out’ a gift.
Every year, my parents and I say the same thing: This year, no gifts. And every year, predictably, we cave in. A last-minute dash down to the White Rose. But honestly… Do we need to? Or are we doing it out of habit, or guilt, or fear that a Christmas without stuff will somehow be less?
The older I get, the more I realise the most meaningful Christmas memories I have don’t involve expensive wrapping paper. They were times spent with my beloved grandparents and family, moments, words, gestures, having a spat over who gets the hat in “Monopoly”, telling the jokes from the crackers. Simple, happy times.
Going into debt for Christmas isn’t a badge of honour; it’s a burden that lingers long into the new year. If you want to exchange gifts, make it a good one, meaningful, heartfelt, chosen with care, set yourself a manageable budget and stick to it. One truly thoughtful present has far more impact than a pile of filler gifts that exist only to be torn open and posted on social media.
The truth is, the things we treasure most aren’t the pricey gadgets or the trendy toys. Yes, we all like shiny new things, it’s human nature, but they never last. What lasts is the memory of being together, the traditions we build, the laughter, the kindness, the way a moment made you feel. That’s the part that stays with you. Not what you unwrapped. And that is priceless.
Wishing you a happy healthy christmas and see you in 2026.
Shannon Humphrey is a First Aid for Mental Health Instructor. Find out more about her work at www.pathwaysforpositivity.com
Photo: Shutterstock
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