Easy and Cheap Ways to Embrace the Christmas Spirit

It is no secret that the economy this year is up in the air, and not necessarily falling in a good direction. Americans are looking towards the future and buffering the nest egg doesn't leave much behind for a luxurious holiday season. More and more time is spent working to ensure more security and suddenly Christmas is here and gone before you know it. While sometimes it's easier to turn Christmas into just another expensive group of to do's on your list, there are a few tricks that can recapture the magic and allow you to enjoy the spirit of the season.

The Sounds of Christmas. Dig through your old CD's and pull out a few favorites that bring your childhood Christmas memories flooding back. In our family, Christmas wasn't Christmas without Johnny Mathis and just listening to a few of his traditional songs makes me feel the way I did when I was young and had no real responsibilities. When Christmas was pure magic and wonder and anything could happen. We're surrounded by music in all the stores and office buildings and while it can all go in one ear and out the other, choosing the carols that are special to you can really make the spirit come alive. Listen in your car, quietly at your desk and set the stereo up at home for some background ambiance.

The Smells of Christmas. We all know those wonderful smells that make up the holidays. Fresh snow, balsam pine, cookies baking, apples, pumpkin and spices all combine to let us know Christmas is almost here. Baking Christmas cookies or roasting a turkey are surefire ways to get the aroma of the holidays into your house, but this article is about cheap and easy. So how do you surround yourself with the smells of Christmas spirit? Stock up on inexpensive gel air fresheners. Hide them around your house, even in places you wouldn't expect to smell a little Christmas, like closets and bathrooms. Pick up a few Yankee Candle Car Jars for intense Christmas sensations for your car or your desk at work. There is nothing like a light smell of a Christmas wreath or holly berries wafting across your desk to make you smile with the holiday spirit!

The Tastes of Christmas. We all know someone who has a full time job, is a full time parent and still manages to make Christmas cutouts from scratch, spritz cookies in multiple colors and shapes, fudge with a candy thermometer and an array of traditional Christmas candies. I'm not that person, but I'm lucky to know them when they hand out samples of their work. So how to make sure your family enjoys the tastes of the holidays for the whole season? Buy a box of Keebler Christmas cookies. Christmas isn't Christmas without Keebler Jingles in our house. Switch out your French Vanilla coffee creamer for eggnog or pumpkin spice creamers. Keep a dish of red and green M&Ms on your desk. It doesn't have to take a lot of time or money to add those extra holiday touches that make each day feel just a little bit special.

The Sights of Christmas. Most of us have holiday traditions that involve decorating our homes with the same elements every year. If the idea of hauling out all seventeen boxes of decorations makes you tired and buying all new items makes your wallet hurt, it's time to think about paring back. Pick out a few decorations that you simply must have to start. From there it's all about the little touches. Bright red ribbons added to everyday objects are a quick, easy, and economic way to add a holiday touch. Trimming the windows with lights brings a holiday glow to every room. Tucking sprigs of holly and pine into vases adds a colorful and festive addition to all the rooms of your house. Add a ribbon around your rear view mirror and a tiny tree to your work desk and sit back to enjoy reminders of the season everywhere.

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for many reasons, both cultural and spiritual. But our lives now are hectic and most of us are thinking about scaling back. Don't let time and resources keep you from surrounding yourself in Christmas spirit! A few little touches can really go a long way to enjoying this blessed season!