Christmas is meant to be the time of giving.
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The carols are meant to bring joy, the lights bring cheer and the food is shared with those you love.
But the gift of giving often comes in the form of unreasonable and huge amounts of stress.
First is the stress of choosing gifts.
How much should you spend? Should you buy something thoughtful, entertaining or useful?
For parents there are questions around gifts from mum and dad and what gifts will be from Santa.
What are the child’s friends receiving?
Will your child have too many gifts or not enough?
The mental preparedness for festive season can be outrageous.
And then there is the budget. Last year it was estimated Australians would spend about $11 billion for Christmas.
That’s about $593 per person. This was up 25 per cent compared to 2012.
The meaning of Christmas can be lost thanks to the quest for the perfectly wrapped gift for under the tree.
Yes, gifts are an expression of love.
Some gift guides are suggesting to give experiences instead of stuff or to make something instead of buying new items.
The festive season also gives you a chance to channel that act of giving to the community.
Volunteering is the first thought for many.
But, imagine the ability to save lives this Christmas. Literally save lives.
For many of us this is a real possibility. You just need to roll up your sleeve.
The blood bank is in need of vital donations over this period.
And a new service offered from Red Cross will be a message to say when your life-saving donation was used.
Christmas is also a chance to support local businesses.
So, spend what you can and help to stimulate the economy. But only part with what you can afford to give.
And remember, other presents, like the gift of life, are priceless.