The best things about Christmas are free

While googling “materialism at Christmas”, I came across a quote. It said the “magic of matter is powerful.” This rings true especially around this time of year where people are more stressed out than usual and anxious about getting all the holiday preparations done in time. Studies have shown that this time of year brings about such things as stress and/or depression. According to ehow.com, there are a few things that can be done to avoid these things as well as materialism, and provide you with a more relaxed environment for the holidays. Step #1: Consider what Christmas means to you and what it used to mean to you. Go back and do the things you remember doing in years past that you enjoyed doing. You could go read a story you read as a child or watch a movie which you may not have seen in a while. You could go to church if you remember going to Christmas services in years past. These are just examples. Think back to whatever you used to do around this time of year that you enjoyed doing, and do it now.Step #2: Make gifts. Instead of buying things for friends and family, make them something that is near and dear to your heart. This could be a photo album, scrapbook, quilt, poem, or a photo calendar. The last one just sparked my interest. I think that would make a very sweet, personalized gift that would be great for anyone. Step #3: Love more. Spend some time with your loved ones. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Make an extra effort to get together with people you haven’t seen in awhile. (Ehow suggests you make it clear that this is not to be a “gift giving meeting” to avoid any awkwardness, but just a time to reunite with old friends).Step #4: Decorate. By being festive you will surely find yourself in the holiday spirit, without stepping foot in a shopping mall. You could make ornaments a popcorn garland like you did when you were young, or simply deck out the tree. Step #5: Make some holiday cards to send to neighbors, friends or relatives. Maybe even pop pictures that the recipient can look at throughout the year. You can get a whole bunch of cute greeting cards all for a dollar at Dollar Tree stores everywhere.These are some great ways to avoid consumer materialism this holiday season. It’s easy to forget what Christmas is all about, with such schemes as early-bird special ads whose goal is to entice shoppers to go for broke at 5 a.m., and rack up credit card debt for the sole purpose of saying Merry Christmas…but is that what it is all about? This holiday season, re-think the true spirit of Christmas and remember that time is the best gift anyone can give or receive.