How to Explain a Tight Christmas Budget to Children Under 10

With a recession in full force and job losses on the rise, more and more children are coming to the realization this year that Christmas won't be what they were hoping as far as presents go. Flashy new electronics, brand names and the hottest "it" toys are no longer expected under the tree. Some children will handle the news with greater ease than others, as parents make the best decisions they can about how to explain the situation to their kids. However, children not yet at their preteen years have a way of taking on the attitude of their parents about difficult situations more readily than older children. How the parent relays information and handles the dilemma can have a tremendous effect on how the child "copes." For a few tips on making this discussion a bit easier for both yourself and your children, check out the following tips on how to explain a tight Christmas budget to children under ten years old.

Tip #1: Address the Santa issue. With children under ten, explaining how parents not having excess cash affects Christmas interferes with the whole Santa theory. Whether Santa has more children to care for or the elves are on strike, find a reason beforehand to explain why Christmas will be slim regardless of Santa's best efforts. You might say that Santa brings some gifts while parents do the rest, and the parents' side will be a little short.

Tip #2: Refrain from letting your fears come through. Tarnishing the Christmas season with dread for your children will ruin any chances they may have of enjoying this year's smaller bounty. Half of the fun is waiting for the big day, so leave that in tact as best you can.

Tip #3: Help other children in need. No matter how tight your budget is, get at least one gift for children in need and let your kids take part in the process. Let them pick out a toy from "their own Christmas fund" (no matter where the cash really comes from) to donate to others. Emphasize how their helping others is so important, and how their own Christmas will seem like a distant dream for children who are less fortunate. Not only will you teach your kids a valuable lesson about the meaning of the season, but you'll also help them appreciate what you give them that much more. On that note, this step would be an excellent tradition to tie into every holiday season. Teaching these lessons to children while they are still under ten years old will develop character attributes that will remain with them forever.

Tip #4: When your kids are making out their lists or selecting gifts from catalogs and advertisements, stress a budget. It's ok to go ahead and let kids have some perspective on what's just too much. They'll be less likely to get their hopes up for things that are out of your budget range, but they'll also be given the chance to find creative alternatives that they may like just as well.

Tip #5: Concentrate on the fun of the entire season, not just opening presents, as you explain your tight Christmas budget to your children. While kids under ten can't quite grasp the concept of how important the deeper meanings of Christmas are, they can feel the joy of taking part in family oriented traditions. Instead of focusing your concentration on presents, quickly turn the subject to going for rides to look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate in hand, staying up late to watch Christmas movies, making cookies, etc. Make these special times the emphasis without directly downplaying presents

Tip #6: Gain some perspective, and pass it down to your kids. As mentioned earlier, children under ten tend to take on the attitudes of their parents during difficult times. Take a moment as the parent to ponder how fortunate you truly are, how chances are that next year will be different, and to think of other parents who are actually facing tragedy with their children this year. Hold on to what you have, and you'll have a better attitude when it comes time to explain to your children that the Christmas budget is a little more slim that usual.

Remember, children under ten want a reason to celebrate during Christmas. If you can manage to make the tight Christmas budget a small issue, they'll find a way to do the same.