Christmas During Tough Times

Times are tough, the economy has tanked, it sounds like it'll get worse before it gets better, and it's not only in the states, it's on a world wide scale. We hear it on the news and some of us, depending on our line of work, are exposed to the impact this crisis is having on people in a more personal way.

I work for a major credit card company in the small business department and it is heart breaking to see so many small businesses going under, people losing everything. There are more and more homeless people, jobs dropping like flies. On top of everything it's the holiday season.

I read an article on line saying parents are freaking out because they can't afford to provide their kids with lavish Christmas gifts this year, they don't know what they are going to tell their children. Well... How about the truth...maybe it's best to let them know what's going on. Maybe we need to rethink Christmas and how we celebrate it. Maybe the material things shouldn't be the highlight of it all. Maybe spending time with family, making the best of what you have, even if it's not much is a good thing to consider.

Our Christmas here will be small, between my daughter Shannon and I and all the bills we are trying to pay off from high utilities during the hot months, the money just isn't there to get gifts for everyone, so we will focus on Chloe and Hannah since they are the kids. Shannon is upset because she will have only 60.00 to spend for gifts. I will have less but I am not worried. I spent most of my adult life as a single mom, I've been fortunate enough to have times when I could spend alot of money on Christmas, and times where things were tight. But as the sole support for my family of five, I learned early on to learn how to stretch money and food, how to make something out of almost nothing and how to make everything seem like an adventure.

This week my main problem is how to come up with 284.00 to keep the electric on, I am not sure how I am going to do it because rent still has to be paid, we are a little behind. Just a tiny bit, nothing that won't be fixed by January. The money will be there on December 18th but the electric company will only give me till Friday. But things always work out I will think of something. Once I get that behind us, I know that Shannon and I will be able to stretch the money enough to have a nice dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas, and maybe enough to have a gift for everyone in the house. I bought a 6 foot artificial tree several years ago, I have my decorations I've saved over the years. I know how to sew and make things, I am an artist, and a good cook, so I can make things everyone will appreciate, and do it for next to nothing. So I am not worried.

Right now we are both fortunate to have jobs. In January my company is looking at eliminating some of the frontline phone jobs, so I do the best I can and hope my job isn't one of them, but if it is, you can be sure I am already considering other options. One way or another we will make it through this, and I have faith in God and lots of protection, we always make it no matter what.

All I can say is that times are tough, trust me I know, but we have to rethink the way we live and re-evaluate our priorities, we have to rethink the values we are instilling in our kids. When times are tough we make do with what we've got, and sometimes, the toughest times end up being the most memorable happiest of times.

The economy is a mess, it is what is, and all we can do is try to get through it, but while doing what you have to do to get through it remember, things can always be worse, the tough times test us, they challenge us, they rake us across the hot coals, they make us face things we don't want to face, but in the end they reward us with character, wisdom and strength...are you up for the challenge???

I know my family and I are... all we can do is go forward and take things as they come, there is no other way.
Stay strong!!!!
Hugs,
Maria