The holiday season brings a wave of nostalgia as I recall sitting at my grandparents' kitchen table, each grandchild armed with their own colored pencil, eagerly circling wishes in the JCPenney Christmas catalog. It was a cherished ritual – the excitement of turning those glossy pages, the slight competition between cousins over who would get to circle the best toys, the warmth of being together in anticipation of the season.
Now, as both a financial planner and a parent of young children, I find myself viewing these memories through a different lens. While those moments around the kitchen table were precious, I realize it wasn't the circled items that made them special – it was the shared experience, the tradition, the time spent dreaming together.
In today's world of targeted ads, influencer marketing, and endless online shopping, our children face a constant barrage of messages about what they "need" to be happy. As parents, we walk a delicate line between preserving the magic of traditions like Santa Claus while being mindful of the consumerist undertones that can overshadow the true spirit of the season.
Shifting the Focus
I've found that we can maintain the joy and wonder of the holidays while cultivating a healthier relationship with material goods. Here are some ways we're approaching this in our family:
Emphasizing experiences over things. Whether it's baking cookies together, creating handmade decorations, or volunteering as a family, these moments create lasting memories that no purchased gift can match.
Teaching gratitude as a daily practice, not just a holiday obligation. We encourage our children to appreciate what they have and understand the difference between wants and needs.
Preserving magical traditions like Santa Claus by focusing on his spirit of generosity and kindness rather than his role as a gift-delivery service.
Creating new traditions that celebrate giving rather than receiving. This might include choosing toys to donate, helping at a food bank, or making gifts for others.
The Professional Perspective
As a financial planner, I see firsthand how holiday spending can impact families' financial well-being. The pressure to create "perfect" holidays often leads to January credit card bills that dim the holiday glow. But more concerning is the message we send to the next generation about equating love with spending and happiness with possessions.
Finding the Balance
We don't have to abandon all material aspects of celebration to create meaningful holidays. Instead, we can:
Maintain beloved traditions while gently shifting their focus
Help children understand the value of money and thoughtful giving
Create space for both excitement about gifts and appreciation for non-material joys
Model mindful consumption and purposeful giving
When I look back at those catalog-circling sessions now, I realize the colored pencils themselves were a brilliant touch by my grandparents. They created a shared activity, a tradition, and yes, a wish list – but more importantly, they created connections and memories that lasted far longer than any toy from those pages.
As we enter this holiday season, let's challenge ourselves to create similar moments of connection for our children – ones that might involve some circled wishes, but that ultimately teach them that the real magic of the holidays lies in the love we share, the kindness we spread, and the memories we create together.
The greatest gift we can give the next generation isn't found in any catalog – it's teaching them to find joy in giving, gratitude in receiving, and happiness in the simple pleasure of being together.
The views expressed are the author's personal opinions and do not constitute financial advice. For informational purposes only. The author is an Investment Adviser Representative; however, this content is not investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. Each person's situation is unique and requires individual evaluation.
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