Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
For Christians, Christmas is about the generosity, charity, hope and the love of God who gave his son for all mankind. During Christmas we rejoice and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our lord and savior who gave the most precious gift of eternal life for those who believe in him. There’s a great reason celebrate!
As early as October we begin to see stores & shopping centres adorned in a sea of flashing lights, tinsel, baubles, bells & bows and a plethora of sale signs pointing to bargains galore as Christmas carols pump out of the loud speakers to set the mood for our joyous festive season shopping. Christmas giving is a long standing tradition in western countries that can bring much joy.. but at the same time, we can’t allow traditional gift giving or receiving to be our source of joy or to stand in the place the real reason for the season.
The holiday season can bring stress and anxiety if we don’t keep watch on the reason why we celebrate. It’s not about the gifts.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, for whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
So don’t stress. Most of us get together to spend time with family and friends to enjoy a break from work enjoying each other’s company. But if your love language is giving, then you’re going to enjoy seeing the expression on the kids face come Christmas morning. Below are some tips to help take the stress out of Christmas giving.
13 Tips For Stress Free Christmas Giving
1. GET IN EARLY
Don’t wait for the last minute to shop for Christmas gifts at bargain prices if you don’t enjoy the jostling for a parking spot or the massive crowds at the local mall. Start your gift buying early spreading it across a few weeks or months to give you plenty of time. For those of you who haven’t started shopping yet, some of the tips below may come in handy.
2. TAKE NOTES OF WHAT YOU BUY
Keep track of your Christmas gift buying in notebook, listing all the intended recipients against each purchase you’ve made for them. Knowing what you have already, what you need to buy and when you’ve finished can minimise the likelihood of forgetting someone.
3. LAY-BY TO PAY OFF ITEMS
Enables the shopper to select items & leave a small deposit to place items on hold & can be paid off by making regular weekly payments The item will be given to the purchaser on final payment. See catalogs at all major retailers to get the best deals.
4. BUDGET
Don’t spend too much, plan ahead, know exactly what you can and can’t afford. Then stay within your budget. in some families it is traditional to buy expensive and lavish gifts to bless one another with. If that sounds like you and your family. Have a set amount of what you want to spend and give yourself plenty of time to save.
5. KIDS ONLY
Some families make arrangements to buy only for the children, keeping in mind that most adults already have the majority of stuff they need. This option takes a lot of financial stress away from those with larger families, while sparing them from receiving unwanted gifts!
6. RE-GIFTING
Excess items can be given to someone else to appreciate. Is it rude? Perhaps, to some people re-gifting is too impersonal. Not everyone will take a liking to this idea. But a savvy person can keep track of where gifts came from, and who will benefit from the unwanted items the most. Think of it as recycling.
7. BUYING ONLINE
For those with busy lives shopping for gifts from online stores can be a very tempting alternative to bargain hunting at the local shopping centre. Check for shipping costs to your area.
8. GIFT WRAPPING
While this can be time consuming, most major shopping centres have a gift wrapping service for a gold coin donation.
9. DON’T KNOW WHAT TO BUY?
You might want to opt for a gift voucher that allows a recipient to choose their own gift. Most stores have them.
10. SECRET SANTA
Can you keep a secret? Here’s a fun way to give that turns Christmas party giving into a game. Instructions on how to do a Secret Santa can be found on WikiHow.
11. POT LUCK
Friends & family bring their own a plate for a Pot-luck meal where of pre-cooked or prepared foods or salads, fruit or even your own meat, drinks and nibbles for a BBQ is not uncommon in Australia. This will not only save everyone money but it’s a great way to share an abundance of food without spending a small fortune on food or gifts.
12. GENEROSITY
Be generous by giving someone your time. It’s the most valuable gift that translates as LOVE. Do for others what you can without expecting anything in return. Kindness goes a long way in making others feel valued.
12. BLESS THE LESS FORTUNATE
The Smith Family and The Salvation Army Christmas Appeal relies on the generosity of others to bless children with gifts. They also they give out food hampers to families who are less fortunate.. Kmart has a Wishing Tree Appeal where wrapped or unwrapped gifts can be placed under a Christmas tree for the poor that is also organised and run by The Salvation Army.
13. NOT BUYING
If you find yourself short this year and can’t purchase gifts don’t worry. Stay focussed on the reason for the season. You can let others know beforehand that you simply won’t be buying gifts. Close friends and family generally understand and will just be glad to be spending time with you. Even if you do feel compelled to give them something there’s always baking, crafts and photos. If you’re doing it tough this year contact either The Smith Family or The Salvation Army who may be able to help you.
Have you thought about becoming a qualified counsellor? It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God's love and grace to the hurting out in the community.
For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:
Enrolment Season - opens approximately 2 months prior to our courses commencing. Enrol online here during our enrolment season.
We also offer two modes of study:
A Master of Counselling course was introduced in 2018.