What would our holidays be without gifts? Some may think that sounds materialistic, but it's not even close. When did it become such a bad thing to want to give to people? When it did become such a horrible thing to spend our money or time on others? I don't know about you, but I think giving is a beautiful thing that should be done year round - and not just at Christmas and birthdays.

Even though giving gifts is a huge part of our lives - lately it seems to be a high stress area of our lives as well. We have gone away from giving from our hearts and moved into giving to reflect our pocket books. I know people who honestly feel that in order for a gift to be nice it has to be expensive and it has to be better than what anyone else gives. This is where 95% of Americans have climbed into debt and have managed to stay there - some have even set up camp there. Do you know anyone who is still paying for presents they bought for Christmas in 1993? Lets put an end to this cycle and begin giving to others with enthusiasm and with purpose. Let us begin to give the way gifts use to be given - with the heart - to say 'I love you' or 'I value our friendship' or 'I want you to know how much you mean to me.'

Below you will find some advice on gift giving for any occasion and how to make it a nice, rewarding experience for yourself and the receivers. It's time we stop the credit card companies shouting for joy over the 20% interest fees you'll be paying for 35 years. It's time we stop buying the men's dress socks with snowmen and candy canes (complete with bells that ding when you walk) because we waited until the last minute to buy a gift for someone. It's also time to stop running out of money, going into debt or missing your car payment because you felt you had to 'spend, spend, spend' in order to make your family and friends happy.

A few thoughts to remember. Give with your heart. When you do, it will mean more the receiver and more to you. Take the time to really think about what you can do or give someone, instead of making the decision at the last minute. Gifts given with thought will be remembered, treasured and truly appreciated.

1. If you aren't a planner for anything - this may be a good thing to plan a little for...gift giving. Whether it be for birthdays, graduations or holidays - you need to be prepared. Don't always leave it up to your spouse either. You need to give input and effort into the gifts, especially when they are for your family.

2. It's a good idea to keep a notebook or something similar to keep gift information throughout the year. I have a 'journal' (purse size) where I write gift ideas for others and for myself. For myself, you ask? If I see something I like, I jot it down so when others ask me what I'd like, I have an idea.
MYTH: It's not arrogant to let others know what you'd like WHEN they ask. In my opinion, it's so much easier for me to shop for someone when I know what they want.

3. Listen closely to your family, friends and co-workers when they talk or tell stories. You will usually hear about their likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, etc. This way you can write them down and know more about what kind of gifts they would like. (Example: I was talking with my boss one time and she was telling me what her and her family had to eat on a certain holiday. For dessert they had carrot cake, which was unusual. So, I asked if she liked it and she told me it was her favorite. Now I knew what to make her on her birthday!)

4. If you stick to a financial monthly budget, set a limit to how much you will spend on gifts. For Christmas it may be a good idea to put money into savings every month (doesn't have to be large amounts) so when it arrives, you already have extra cash for spending. If you have more people to buy for, then money, it's time to restructure your gift giving. Get creative with gift ideas. Draw names for gift buying, etc.

a. Do all 7 people at the office need a Christmas gift? It may cost too much to buy each an individual gift - so consider making a large batch of your favorite dessert and giving them each a portion about a week before Christmas. Doing this will ensure it will most likely get eaten before they are too full with all the family dinners on the actual holiday.

b. Is it necessary to give all your aunts, uncles and cousins a gift for Christmas? Most families understand that it just isn't practical to buy gifts for all 37 family members. A tradition many have picked up in large families is to draw names. That way you are buying a gift for one person or one couple and everyone still gets a gift. This has helped on my husbands side of the family. When we first were married, I was in for a shock our first Christmas. I now had more family, but I never thought about how many extra. I had gained 2 more dads, 2 more moms, 1 grandpa, 3 brothers, 1 sister, 6 aunts, 2 uncles and numerous cousins. That didn't include my parents, brother, sister, 2 grandmas, 1 grandpa, 2 aunts, 2 uncles and 2 cousins. Drawing names was the best idea for our wonderful, yet large, family.

6. Find new, creative ideas for giving gifts. Read our suggestions here.

5. Whatever you do, don't go into debt just to impress people. Stick within a spending limit and plan how you will distribute that among your family and friends. If all you can do is 'home made' gifts - those usually mean more to people then the gift card to buy more cd's. There's nothing wrong with gift cards, but if you can't buy those for everyone - give from the heart.

6. Give gifts that can be used and won't create extra clutter in the receivers home or life. Now, this isn't a 100% all the time rule, but if you know somebody who doesn't have an empty space on the walls, floors or shelves - they probably aren't in need of another porcelain clown. This is a good time for gift cards to restaurants or food baskets filled with their favorite snacks. What about tickets to a ball game or movie coupons. Give gifts that can be used and won't require a space on the wall or on the shelf.

7. Your time - is a wonderful present. Offer your services as gifts. You can make coupon books or a large coupon for your brother and sister-in-law for a free night of babysitting. Or maybe you could offer a weekend to watch your friend's dogs so they can have a weekend away. Gifts like these are always appreciated and highly used.