It’s that time of year again. The time that parents look forward to and also dread all year. We feel the pressure of making a perfect holiday for our children but time, finances and reality like to step in and remind us that perfection isn’t possible.

How could it be possible to get all the gifts our kids have requested without breaking the bank? It becomes easier when we realize that getting them everything on the list is not only not necessary, it isn’t even desirable. The only thing that would happen if you bought them everything they wanted is to ensure yourself that next year their list will be longer.

Often their favorite gift isn’t the one they asked for but the unexpected surprise. I will never forget my first Christmas with my son. It was magical because he had just been placed in my home the weekend before and I felt the need to buy everything I thought a 4-year-old would need. Because I was starting from scratch I bought clothes, bedroom furniture, cars, balls, stuffed animals, action figures, etc. Every time I went to the store I found something else that I thought he wouldn’t be able to live without.