House & Home

HOW TO MAXIMIZE

YOUR HOLIDAY HAPPINESS

BY MICHAEL VAN LIEROP, PRESIDENT NEW OUTLOOK WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The holiday shopping season

is notorious for blowing a massive hole in most family budgets, regardless of income. This year, with warnings of supply chain disruptions, shortages, and shipping delays from China, retailers – both online and offline – are urging Canadians to get their shopping done early. This has always been well-meaning, though often-ignored, advice, but this year seems different. Early holiday shopping does offer one major financial advantage – you can plan and prepare your spending. Last minute shopping (which includes most retail excursions around Christmas-time, due to the impulsive buys we all tend to succumb to!) is routinely blamed for maxing out credit cards.

The fourth annual Holiday Shopping Survey, conducted by the Retail Council of Canada, found that Canadians are more optimistic going into this holiday season than last year, and are ready to return to physical stores, shopping in person, and spending more money. The survey also revealed that 30 per cent of participants planned to start their shopping before November and 36 per cent in November. Canadians will spend, on average, $792 leading up to the holidays.

How do you mitigate the potential damage of all of this shopping? The most diligent budgeter will have planned judiciously throughout the year for the gift giving season, some even opting to buy and stash the gifts when the right item appeared back in June or July. Some people will deliberately set aside a monthly savings goal for this purpose, ensuring they don’t end up in a credit card-fueled buying frenzy at the last minute. A simple $100 a month or $25 a week set aside in a separate account can do the trick. That sort of discipline may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it absolutely works. But what else can you do? It’s simple – set a budget, and stick to it. Even if the budget requires some borrowing from the bank of Mastercard, the very fact you’re setting a limit (that, hopefully, is below your credit limit) is a simple and effective way to psychologically remain in control. You can set a total budget, or even break it down by target recipient. This budget can be made months in advance, take into account unforeseen holiday expenses, large increases in food and booze consumption for parties, and even those oopsie-gifts (those bought at the very last minute because you forgot someone, literally hours before they arrive for dinner). Right. That never happens!

Overall, whether holiday shopping is a year-round concern or a last-ditch effort to keep someone happy, it can represent thousands of dollars in expenditure for an average family. If you’ve never considered entering it as a line-item in your financial plan’s budget, perhaps it’s time to review your spending plans for 2022 with your Advisor. 

DECK YOUR DOORS

with this easy Wreath!

Making a stunning wreath is simple, just gather the right supplies, add in your holiday embellishments and whole lot of holiday spirit. Take your design beyond the traditional and let your personality shine through in the décor. Add pinecones for warmth or cranberries for a colorful contract to the greenery.

With a little creativity, create a beautiful wreath that can be hung indoors or outdoors, and can be used year after year.

SUPPLIES

• Floral Wire • Wreath Righ • Greenery • Pinecones • Cranberries • Small Cutting Shears or wire snips • To hang your wreath – use monofilament for a no show look. 1. Using shears or wire snips, cut embellishments into 6-8 inch long pieces. Cluster them into bunches, attaching to the base of the wreath with floral wire. 2. Add in décor all around the base to your liking. 3. When the entire form is covered, loop the monofilament so that the wreath will hang at the desired length. Command strips and magnetic hooks are both ideal products for hanging a wreath, as are adjustable wreath hangers to hook over a door or frame. Some wreaths don’t seem complete until they are finished off with a large, lavish bow. A burlap ribbon will fit into the holiday décor and it can be styled in a number of ways from a fluffy rosette to a minimalist draping.

TIP Add oven-dried oranges or seasonal spices to add a warm, spicy aroma. Try bundling cinnamon sticks, star anise or cloves to your wreath .