Stop the Madness

According to the National Retail Federation, a majority of Americans (55 percent) are going to spend less money this holiday season because of the economy. I'm one of them. I hereby vow (in public) to spend less than $682.74—the amount the average American is expected to spend this Christmas. Somehow, someway, I'm going to do Christmas on less than $500. I have made this promise before. But then the holidays come rolling in and I get so excited, I think I'm a one-woman Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It's not just about money: every year, I start small and end up throwing a couple of parties, starting new traditions, buying too many presents, fighting with my husband, and sulking at least part of Christmas morning because I've gone 48 hours without sleeping. It's a wonder my family even speaks to me in January. But this year I'm hanging up my apron and taking it easy with my four-point plan for a simpler holiday. The time has come to seriously consider simplicity. Why not? And I invite any person (male or female, young or old) who wants to stop the fiscal and psychological madness of the holidays to join me. (Click here to follow Raina Kelley).

1. Get it out of your system. It's OK to head out into the great American shopping savannas. No one's telling you that you can't shop at all. I'm not a sadist. Just make adjustments according to your own holiday manias. I, for one, cannot and will not buy another Christmas decoration. My family and I live in a two-bedroom apartment, but I have enough blinking lights and ornaments to decorate Rockefeller Center. So I'm going to do some gift shopping, but I will not buy so much as an ornament or wrapping paper. I went to Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving evening at about 11:30 with a non-Christmas-related shopping list (sweatpants for baby, cold medicine for me) and I had to leave almost immediately. Between the blaring holiday music and the stacks of merchandise piled high, the pressure to start my gift shopping was almost more than I could stand. So now I know: no malls, no big-box stores … I'm doing all my shopping online.

2. Listen to your spouse or friends or mother … anyone but the nagging voice in your head that screams "More, more, more!" Every year my husband suggests we make things easier on ourselves and get a smaller tree or forgo one or two wreaths. Instead of considering it, I look at him like he's the Grinch and stomp off. This is no way to enjoy the holidays. So I'm committing myself to cutting back on the Christmas chores. Let's spend some time drinking eggnog and watching Christmas specials. And I swear that I will not bake homemade Christmas cookies with a toddler. No matter the temptation to capture it on film for archival purposes, I will save my sanity and get store-bought.

3. See the holidays with children's eyes. I know, I know—that sounds so corny, right? But I'm serious. My little boy is 17 months old. He does not need me to lose my marbles trying to create some kind of fantasy Christmas that blows up my electricity bill, threatens my equanimity, and damages my credit rating. He's perfectly happy stomping around in the snow, dancing to holiday songs, and "helping Mommy." Everything else is just window dressing.

4. Spend brainpower on a gift, not spending power. Just because something is the latest and the greatest and is super-expensive doesn't mean it's the perfect gift. I'm going to concentrate on getting my loved ones something they'll love instead of a bunch of stuff they won't use. It's my One Perfect Gift plan. Everyone is getting the best present I can afford. I'm not going to waste money on blingy crap that looks good but has no purpose. Of course, that might result in gifts that aren't as sexy or plentiful as Christmases past, but those are the sacrifices we have to make to keep our sanity. No more remote-control Mustangs or robots for my dad, but he will get something he loves, needs, and will use, like a … Ssh, it's a secret!

If you want to see what I mean, I've already picked out some amazing presents for everyone on your list in the Newsweek.com Holiday Gift Guide. Take a peek, and remember: we're keeping it simple.