This Christmas season, money is tighter than it's ever been before. I mean, yeah, we have this wonderful house and we have five fantastic children, but our cars are falling apart and our bills are falling behind.
I'm not a big shopper. I don't really care to go to malls an spend all day and all my money (well, I guess it wouldn't take me all day to spend all my money) just to shop. There are really only a couple of times a year that I do like to shop; Bard's annual birthday shopping trip with a couple of her friends (our equivalent of school clothes shopping) and Christmas.
I love buying stuff for other people, and, gosh, can I help it if I find just a few perfect things for me, too, while I'm there? After all, my husband isn't a shopper either, so most Christmas mornings leave me very little under the tree from my darling soulmate. He has, much to his credit, outdone himself on several occasions, though. But I feel a bit more secure if I wrap up, say, a really good vintage book or an herb and onion chopper to open on Christmas day.
I can't help it. I love the festivity of shopping at Christmas time. I love the hustle and bustle, the lights, the music and...okay, okay! I admit it! I love all the stuff!
But this year, the stuff just ain't gonna happen, so I'm approaching Christmas a bit differently.
It's a resale Christmas.
That's right. Goodwill. eBay. Save-n-Serve. The used bookstores. The antique shop.
And ya know what? I find that I'm having much more fun. Scouring the shelves of Books In Stock for just the right tome for one of my bookloving children and sifting throught the racks of duds for my newly fashion-conscience son Houdin has been a real blast. And I've found some of the best bargains--bags of Beanie Babies for The Baby for a buck each, way mobie cool retro ties for fifty cents, and other cool things that I can't tell you about at this time because little blog readers have big eyes. And I've found a few awesome things for me, too, like my lime-green boiled wool coat with a mink collar for THREE DOLLARS! It so very looks like it's been in careful storage since the day it was purchased!
Sure, there are still a few things coming from retail stores, things that were specifically requested but can't be purchased at Goodwill, and the annual gift of cheese that goes to friends and family, but the majority of my gift-giving is going to be from shopping resale.
And yes, the kids know. And, yes, they're cool with it.
In years past, we've spent more than we could afford, upwards of $2,000. But this year I've only spent a bit over $200. I'm nearly done, too.
I feel good about this. I had veered away from resale shopping at one time because it seemed like too much work with little ones in tow, but now I'm hooked again.
What's best is that I feel very little guilt and only a minor need to walk through the doors of Target. Ah, well. Old habits die hard.
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