'Tis the Season to Give Truly Valuable Gifts

'Tis the season to give...but 'tis also the season for rampant materialism. We are assailed on every side with commercials, radios spots, billboards, and flyers demanding that we WANT, GET, DESERVE, etc. Even friends and family constantly ask, 'What do you want for Christmas?' Naturally, this steady stream of materialism will eventually wear us down if we let it, and then invade our wallets.

The last thing we need when we are trying so hard to gain financial security and control is a yearly wallop from the holidays to set us back. This means that instead of caving to the commercial pressure to get more material things, we should look inward at the values that make life precious. This means that more stuff won't bring you happiness and peace, but will add to your financial stress. This means that even though it is better to give than to receive, even that mantra can lead to money mayhem if we go overboard trying to prove how much we care about our loved ones.

Instead, let's consider giving gifts of true and lasting value. We'll spend the next few days figuring out exactly what those gifts are, and how they can actually lead to happiness, peace, and even greater financial security. Stay tuned!