How to Handle Christmas Debt Stress

by Andre V Milteer, M.A.
(Texas, USA)

Publisher, Encouraging-People.com

During the course of my daily email checking, I ran across an except of an article regarding holiday stress. The article was written by Corporate Wellness Advisor.com.

It's the season of giving, which can only mean one thing: Next month the Christmas bills will start rolling in. What that may mean for your staff members is worry, distraction, and a drop in productivity as their personal finance.

Today is Wednesday, December 22, 2010. My C-mas shopping is all done. After almost 35 years of this, I probably spent less than ever. yet I feel so Overindulgent )=;

My Wife, Barbara LOVES C-mas; admittedly, I'm a bit of a Scrooge. Christmas spending reminds me of drinking more than a fair share of champagne at a party, and waking the next day with a hangover or worse...

Tis the Season To Be...

This is the Season to be Frugal and Prudent! Of course, with the US and global economies being what they are, holiday frugality makes good fiscal sense...doesn't it. Yet we're not wired that way. We all want our dessert first. We are Emotional Creatures.

The emotional side of me says, "You can do it, Man. You've worked hard; deserve and live life." "Plus, the Wife is gonna be So Thrilled with or so P.O'd with ______fill in the blank. Madness, I tell ya, Madness.

Ghost of Christmas Pasts

Once, I skipped Christmas -- Nope, didn't even celebrate. Another time, I overspent to the point that it took me until June 1st to pay off the bill. THE FOLLOWING YEAR! Another time, I was serving overseas with the Military (that's a whole 'nother story within itself).

"Jesus is the Reason for The Season," reads the church bulletin. It is well known, that Christmas is a pagan holiday; the early Christians did not celebrate as such...nor of Easter. The commercialism, the pageantry, and the debt stress of spending beyond one's budget (what budget?).

The Cure!

Standby People, for I have the Cure for western societies spending ills...her wanton disregard for fiscal responsibility. The obsession to buy and have @Christmas. Here it is...wait for it, wait for it.

BUY IT, SPEND IT, DO IT, GET IT, and lastly...ENJOY IT! Yeah, that's right -- I said it; you've heard me correctly. Go For It and Just Do It!

You want to; why not? Oh, you thought I was gonna talk you down from the roof. No, Just Jump! (metaphorically-speaking). That's what I did; I took the plunge!

Back in the Summer of 2010, I wrote a Blog post about Asking and Wanting. A wise rich man once said, most people don?t get what they what because they Don?t Know what they want. To excerpt the article, I wrote:

Asking conjures up not only thoughts, but also demands. In essence, we DEMAND a response. If my theory is correct, then we aren?t really asking?we are DEMANDING! Let me ask you. If I were to ASK you to do me a favor rather than DEMANDING a request from you, how would you respond?

Furthermore, I'm suggesting that you go ahead, spend, shop till ya drop, and get all of your (and mine) getting. Best-selling author, personal development guru, and spiritual seeker Guy Finley teaches:

Resistance to the resistance IS the Resistance. Another way of saying all of this is to say: After you go all out, you and I can begin to see the CHILDLESSNESS of excessive holiday shopping.

What Would Jesus do?

Don't you hate it when someone states that phrase...I know I do. How in God's name can I begin to fathom the Very divinity of the Christ? Of course, I could just ask him.

Hey Lord, do you think I should buy My Wife that Mink Coat although the Central Texas outdoor temperature yesterday was 82 degrees F.

The inspired writings of Our Most High God says to take no thought of what we shall eat or wear (read Matthew, Chapter 6). Yet, I'm here on Earth; bombarded by advertising, media, and familial expectation.

Drink the Kool-Aid

What to do? Drink the Kool-Aid with me. Misery Loves Company! Seriously, we can only begin to see through the smoke-screen of happiness-in disguise -- by playing the game. The Christmas (X-Mas) shopping game.

After all is said and done, we will discover -- sooner or later (later means spending more $$$). The ONLY way to Win is Not to Play. I bought presents and plan to enjoy my family. No More; No Less...