Each year we celebrate Christmas and each year the novelty of the event grows fainter.
It can sometimes feel like the whole holiday experience has become rather repetitive. If you feel like you’re stuck in a bit of a Christmas rut, don’t despair! We’ve got you covered with some ways you can do Christmas a little differently this year.
You might be surprised as to what’s in store…
Get cultural
One of the most exciting things about Christmas is the fact that it’s celebrated all over the world in so many different ways. Why not celebrate Christmas in the style of another country? Decorate your home according to their style, learn their traditions and cook their national dishes. You could even mix and match for a truly international festive celebration!
Skip presents
A controversial choice to be sure, but hear us out. Foregoing gift giving is not only a great way to save money, it also opens up other options. You and your loved ones could have a whip round for your favourite charity or all chip in for an experience you can share together rather than buying individual presents. Why not watch a live stream of a theatre performance or your favourite band?
There’s even a growing trend surrounding self-gifting. Instead of spending an arm and a leg on a plethora of presents, you could spend a smaller sum, but on yourself and the things you need. Just make sure to consult your family first or there might be a lot of coal in your stocking this year.
Get crafty
Some say that time is one of the most valuable things we have to give. So putting a little bit of your time into creating something with your hands can make a present that will be treasured for years to come. Make a decoration for the tree, cook up your own pasta sauce or write a story. The only limit with a gift you create yourself is your imagination – and a created gift will last longer in the memories of your loved ones than any Playstation or coffee machine that you purchase.
They’re also cheaper to boot…
Change the main course
As we mentioned above, jumping head first into another culture style of Christmas is a great way to change things up. However, for those of you who don’t have the time to organise an entirely culturally-themed Christmas, why not focus on one of the most popular parts of Christmas – the food?
Many countries have a whole host of different traditional Christmas dishes – you’ll see what we mean when you begin your research. There are fish dishes, spicy dishes, sweet dishes, exotic dishes – the list goes on and on. This is another Christmas tip where the limit is your imagination.
And maybe your culinary skills…
Start your new year early
Making new year resolutions only to promptly forget them in the first week of January seems to be an unwritten tradition all over the world. So why not start your new resolutions a week or two before the 1st of January? This way, you can give your new habits a test run before you jump straight into the new year.
Think about what financial resolutions you want to make. Are you spending too much on a certain aspect of your life? Is there a particular habit that prevents you from hitting your savings milestones? Get ahead of the game by starting early – that way you can hit the ground running in January with a meeting with one of our advisors.
Christmas represents the beginning of new things and it’s the perfect time to try something different as the year comes to a close. Why not give it a go? You never know what new and exciting traditions will become a part of your festive calendar. All it takes is that first step…
It is important to take professional advice before making any decision relating to your personal finances. Information within this article does not provide individual tailored investment advice and is for guidance only. We cannot assume legal liability for any errors or omissions it might contain. Ethical Futures llp is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.