The Ghost of Christmas Past

Christmas is over and New Years is yet to come. Most people are trying to figure out what to do with the kids while they are on the last few days of their Christmas Break. All of the Christmas toys are working, well most of them at least, but they are starting to get boring already. The video games are beaten and the Barbie hair is matted. What is a parent to do?

It seems now is the time to start getting ready for Christmas Future. No really, think about it. The stores are putting everything in massive discounts. Sure the candy might be a little stale come next year, but it isn’t likely to be any worse for you. You can get all of your decorations and music. It really is the only way to beat the system. The stores start stocking up earlier and earlier. Soon enough they will be putting their Christmas stuff out the day after Christmas. By then they won’t have to put in on discount because it will be the beginning of the season. If you don’t take advantage and buy all the Christmas junk you need now in a few years you will have to pay full price all the time.

Now I know you’re thinking that if you buy Christmas decorations now you will have to store them till next year. Let me give you a few thoughts.

1. You can just throw out your lights from the past years. Leave the new ones in the box and next year you won’t have to untangle them next year. Between the time you save and the massive discounts the new lights will pay for themselves each year. Don’t worry about the landfill; your grandchildren will likely come up with something to solve that problem.
2. If you are running short on space o store your decorations you can always put them up. Some people might think you are being lazy about taking down your old decorations though; so remember to wait until all your neighbors are back from their vacations so they can see that you are actually getting a jump on next year.
3. Wrapping paper can be damaged if not stored properly. The solution is to buy your presents early too and just wrap them now.
4. Try buying lots of those blowup decorations. Sure they are tacky, but you can store Santa’s entire village in a shoebox under your bed.
5. If you were planning on buying a pet next year it is best to wait. It doesn’t matter how much money you can save, there is nothing funny about opening a dead pet on Christmas.
6. You might think that you can’t buy anything since your kids are with you, but Christmas is a year away. They can pick out exactly what they want and if they are like 90% of the ADHD kids in America they won’t remember by the time you get home much less next Christmas.
7. All of the “must have” Christmas gift you couldn’t get this year will be available. Sure your kid will be the only one in school without one, but you’ll know that next year your kid will be the only one in school with one and who will be laughing then. Yeah.
8. The credit card bills haven’t come in yet so you still have money.
9. With a little creativity you can alter the seasonal items for Valentine’s Day. Melt the chocolate Santa’s down into heat molds. Change snowflakes out for little hearts. That is all the manufacturers do so why pay them when you can do it yourself.

Do you have any other ideas of what you can do with the post Christmas markdowns? Leave a comment.