If you want a more magical holiday season, spending less this year could be the way.
Most of the time, arguments for spending less are based on austerity: save your money, be responsible, avoid waste, think of the future, don’t be materialistic. However, I wish to present a different angle.
Typical holiday spending can reduce joy—too many options, decisions, and stimuli steal from the real magic that grows when you give it space. Most people could use some coaching on how to spend their money to maximize their enjoyment.
Purely on the basis of maximizing your enjoyment of the holiday season, you should be spending less. This isn’t a moral case; it’s a strategic argument that you can do better.
What matters is spending money wisely and emphasizing the gifts that are free.
8 Ways Spending Less on the Holidays Brings More Joy
My Christmas gift to you is a fun argument for why spending less can lead to the most enjoyable Christmas season you’ve had in years.
1. Notice the Gifts Around You
In our age of abundance, the only true scarcity is attention. Attention is all that is required to see the magic of the season that is already there. The real gifts of the season come in the form of every personality you invite into your home, every bit of food you share with friends and family, and every shared conversation, joke, or story. You can’t spend any amount to make that kind of magic.
2. Find Pleasure in Friction
Some of the best memories in life come when things go wrong or when situations require extra work, but you somehow pull them off. We often assume our holidays need to be effortless to be magical, but the magic happens when you least expect it. You can take away all the effort of your holiday season by spending more on convenience, but you’d be robbing yourself of genuine experiences in the process.
3. Reminisce in the Afterglow to Solidify Memories
Building on the last idea, it may seem tempting to have a meal catered and give people more time to hang out. However, spending the morning after a party cleaning up together can add to the magic. Working together while laughing over the fun of the night before can solidify the swirl of events into lasting memories.
4. Generate Your Own Fun Experiences
When you spend money on fun, you expect a good time, but there’s only so much pleasure you can buy. Overspending crowds out spontaneous pleasure by putting the focus on what you can control.
5. Engage in Less Stimulus
There’s only so much you can take in at once. Sometimes, when there’s too much, your brain starts ignoring stuff. Space out your pleasures so the peaks are higher, and you can fully enjoy them.
6. Decrease Expectations
The more you spend, the higher your expectations grow. It’s like going on a Disney trip where you expect everything, including the weather, to be perfect. Modest expectations make room for positive surprises.
7. Allow Spontaneity
There’s a rush of excitement when you open presents at Christmas, and I won’t deny the pleasures of both giving and receiving. However, much of the joy of these quick hits lies in the anticipation and novelty, not in the cost of the gift itself. The memories that last a lifetime are the ones that happen spontaneously and become the stories you tell over and over. The recipe for spontaneity is to show up, add people and a little chaos, and see what happens. No money required.
8. Avoid the January Joy Hangover
In a well-intentioned pursuit of holiday magic, many people overspend, only to pay for it dearly in January when financial reality sets in. The idea of stealing happiness from the future is not what creating a magical Christmas is about. Spend less for the extra gift of peace of mind.
The real magic is in knowing that with people you love and a place to be together, you already have everything you need. The fun comes from your spontaneous, unexpected human interactions as you share a meal and the meaning of the season.