As Christians, we fully understand the “reason for the season.” It is our time of the year to consider God’s great sacrifice through his son Jesus Christ, our opportunity to reflect upon the sheer magnitude of God’s grace toward us.

Unfortunately, consumerism has taken over our society. It is estimated that the average person sees thousands of advertisements a day. Whether it’s on a billboard, the side of a bus, in a store or on television, we are surrounded by the message that in order to feel good we should spend. This is especially true now that the Christmas season is well underway. We tell ourselves that we must buy things for the people we care about, even if it means putting it on a credit card.

One great thing about attempting to manage finances according to Christian principals is that we understand the importance of the holiday. We know that spending money is not what Christmas is all about. It is important for anyone trying to get out from under debt to celebrate Christmas on a budget.

Fortunately, plenty of people are managing to have a joyous Christmas on a budget and have come up with easy ideas for making it possible to enjoy Christmas without breaking the bank.

Here are a few tips to help you stay on track this Christmas! 

1. Avoid credit cards from Thanksgiving day through January 1.
2. Budget in the cost of groceries for your Christmas meal. If you will have people over, it’s okay to ask them to bring a dish to share. In fact, most people are glad to know they’ll get to enjoy their favorite holiday dish.
3. Divide the cash you have by the number of people you have to buy for and make a list that includes the person’s name and how much you’re going to spend on them.
4. The mailman, hairdresser and next door neighbor will be perfectly satisfied with a thoughtfully chosen card.
5. Don’t buy more edible items than you need. Peanut brittle, little chocolate Santas, egg nog and the other holiday favorites can really add up quick. One great pie with Christmas dinner will easily take the place of those costly little snacks.
6. If you have children, think about what they actually need. If they will be needing a new pair of shoes in the next few months, now would be a great time to make the purchase so that it can be appreciated as a Christmas gift.

Stick to your Christmas budget and come January you’ll be very grateful that your New Year’s resolution does not involve paying off 2013’s Christmas debt!