Traditions You Can Afford

Holidays are a time for fun and family, but they can also be stressful when budgets are tight and the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus may be involved. Sometimes we get wrapped up in the “stuff”, when making memories is what we really hope to do. Here are some ideas for make those memories affordable.

Be the Easter Bunny for Someone Struggling. A lot of people still don’t have jobs. They are our neighbors, families at our kids’ schools, people we play sports with and people with whom we worship. Find a way to be the Easter Bunny to them this year, even if it’s anonymous. Buy a slightly larger ham and deliver a portion to them cooked and sliced. Bake an extra cake. Leave a basket of produce or canned goods at their front door. Invite another family to your table. Do what you can afford so someone else knows someone cares.

Read a Story together. If Easter is a religious holiday for you, find a version of the Easter story suitable for all ages in your family and make it a point to read it together every year. If Easter is a secular holiday for you, find a different story to read together – one that has meaning for your family.

Plant Something as a Family. Easter signifies the start of spring and a time of new beginnings. Perhaps there is a spot in your yard where you can plant an Easter lily or your favorite flowering bush every year.

Ask Everyone to Bring a Dish. Even kids can do this. If you cook for a large group, ask each person to bring their favorite side dish. You get a huge variety, there’s something for everyone and you spend less money and time on your holiday meal.

Have a Food Fight…Kind of. When I met my husband, he introduced my family to a tradition called egg pocking. You literally fight with your hard-boiled, dyed eggs. Wrap your hand around an egg, kind of like you would hold a water bottle, so only the tip of the egg is showing through the loop made by your thumb and forefinger. Have the other person tap the tip of his egg to the tip of yours. The winner is the person whose egg does not crack. Flip the eggs over and switch roles. Easter is not Easter without egg pocking in our family. We each dye 18 eggs for adequate ammunition. Every year, someone comes up with a new way to make their eggs stronger without cheating, and every year, there’s that one egg that prevails against everyone else’s. It’s a lot of fun and something the whole family can do. Plus, you can refrigerate the eggs and eat them after Easter.

Holidays don’t have to be about money. What are some traditions your family enjoys? Post a comment hear and continue the discussion.