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Avoiding Debt at Christmas

by | Fri, Dec 8 2023

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Brett and Kate Ryan from Focus on the Family joined Robbo and Becci, hosts of Rise & Shine, with some words of wisdom on staying debt free over Christmas.

Is it worth overspending at Christmas just to end up stressed out and up to your eyeballs in debt that will take months to pay back?

‘It’s a big challenge because, as a parent, you want to spoil your kids,’ said Brett. ‘But that has a cost. You have to live within your means.’

Our children learn by example, so it’s important to consider what we are teaching our children about Christmas. Rather than focus on what they can get for Christmas, teaching our children about what they can give or how they can serve is a better example. Teach them about how God gave us the greatest gift of all. He gave His son, who came as a servant King.

Kate gave some good advice that suggested buying gifts secretly across the year according to your child’s interest, then putting them aside for Christmas. This makes it personalised because you know they will like it, and it is less stressful than mass buying at the end of the year and racking up debt.

‘Don’t buy your kids things all the time. Make it a special time. It’s also a way of getting to know your kids,’ said Kate. ‘If they like art, buy them some paint and brushes.’

Keeping Up With the Joneses

There’s an element of competitiveness in the community when decorating their houses for Christmas. People fall into the trap of trying to outdo each other, and in the process, the whole meaning of Christmas is lost.

‘We shouldn’t be driven by what man thinks. God’s looking at our heart and how we serve others,’ said Brett.

Social media has created the illusion that people have got it all together and are living their dream life. A recent study revealed that around 60 per cent of people were prepared to go into debt, and the idea of applying for buy now, pay later is very much alive and well.

‘We want our children to be happy. Some parents’ goal is for their children to be happy,’ said Kate. ‘That’s not the best goal to have. You want them to have character.’

Kate said research has shown that the happiest people are volunteers. Doing something special, like making cupcakes for the neighbourhood or doing something special for someone in your church or community, can be very rewarding and a beautiful example to your children, especially when they participate. You will see your kids happy when they learn to serve others.

Children Value Your Attention

Little children value the time you spend with them over the toys you buy them. Most of the time, they quickly lose interest in the things you buy them. It’s incredulous to watch some children play with something for about 10 seconds and then move on to the next thing or play with the box the item came in.

The most important thing is to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas. Food, family get-togethers and traditions are vitally important to create great memories. Advent is the Latin word for arrival and a time of preparation towards the lead-up to Christmas. Instead of buying an Advent calendar with chocolate, Focus on the Family has an Advent calendar that can be downloaded from their website. It’s not too late to start. Each day has a short devotion and an activity that can remind children it’s not about getting lots of gifts. It’s about the greatest free gift that was about to arrive. The gift of Jesus.

To hear Brett and Kate’s full interview, click on the link below: