Gifts

We’ve always made lists: chore lists, errand lists, to-do lists, projects lists, possible baby-names lists, financial goals lists, Christmas lists — and the lists go on and on. But years ago, when we were “dirt poor,” we started doing something that has stuck with us to help avoid impulsive and costly purchases. It has also helped us to stay focused on what we really want and has given our kids and us great satisfaction. It’s something we call a wish list.

My mom grew up in a very rural setting during the depression. (She says everyone was poor to start with and the depression didn’t make that much of an impact!) She’s always been great at making do with what she has. Plus, she has always appreciated the beauty of nature. She loves to gather pine cones from different species of trees, keeping a variety stored. She saves the stubs and remains of old candles throughout the year. When Christmas approaches, she will melt the old candle wax, usually in an old slow cooker or on a hot plate on the porch, and dip the pine cones in.

The right tools are valuable resources for completing any project. The better the tools the easier the project becomes. The Internet is a veritable toolbox for making a bargain hunter’s bucks go further.

We live in a very generous society. We see evidence of this whenever there is a hurricane, flood or some other type of national disaster. This generosity isn’t limited only to times of crisis; every year it also shows itself in our gift-giving habits. According to an AC Nielsen survey, Americans spend an average of $948 per person for holiday gift giving, second only to the UK where $1,003 per person is spent.