luxury candles and financial regret

When December Hits Different

Hey everyone, it's Ren here…

You know that feeling when you walk past a store window in December and suddenly your brain goes:

"Ooh, sparkly! Must buy ALL the things for ALL the people!"

Yeah, me too. Every. Single. Year.

Last week I caught myself about to drop $120 on a "luxury candle set" for my mother-in-law (who, let's be honest, has never once mentioned luxury candles in the 10 years I've known her).

The guilt spiral started immediately: "But it's Christmas! I should be generous! What kind of person am I if I don't get something nice?"

Then I remembered what she actually said last time we visited: "I just love spending time with you both. That's all that matters."

Plot twist: she meant it.

🎄 The Festive Season Reality Check

Let me paint you a picture of what December usually looks like financially:

• Gifts, gifts, and more gifts (because apparently everyone we've ever met needs something?)

• Holiday parties (where did all these invitations come from?)

• Travel expenses (hello, $400 flights that were $150 in October)

• "Special occasion" meals (fancy cheese boards count, right?)

• End-of-year subscriptions renewing (surprise!)

• January rent/mortgage still exists (rude)

And here's the kicker - none of this is actually a surprise. It's the same every year. Yet somehow we act shocked when December arrives and our bank account starts sweating.

But here's what I've learned over the years...

💡 The Gift That Keeps On Giving (And It's Not More Stuff)

Okay, controversial opinion incoming: most people don't remember the gifts they received last Christmas.

Go ahead, try it. What did you get last year?

See? Me neither. And I'm pretty sure I spent a small fortune.

But you know what I DO remember?

The afternoon my husband and I spent making gingerbread cookies with our neighbors' kids. The chaotic laughter when we tried to decorate them and they looked more like abstract art than actual gingerbread people.

The quiet morning coffee with my mum before the chaos of Christmas Day kicked off.

That ridiculous ugly sweater party where we all looked absolutely terrible and had the best time.

None of those cost me more than $30. Most cost nothing at all.

✅ Real-World Strategies That Actually Work

Let's talk practical stuff because theory is great, but we need tactics for surviving December without January looking like a financial crime scene.

The "Three People Rule"

This changed everything for me. Here's how it works:

Pick three people you GENUINELY want to buy gifts for (not obligated to, not feel guilty about, actually WANT to)

Set a reasonable budget per person

Everyone else? Creative alternatives time!

Some alternatives I've used:

• Baked goods (turns out people love homemade cookies WAY more than random Amazon purchases)

• Photo albums of shared memories (costs like $15, gets tears every time)

• "Experience vouchers" (a promise for coffee, a home-cooked meal, movie night at yours)

• Handwritten letters (sounds cheesy, but I've had people keep these for years)

The "Future You" Fund

Start this NOW for next year (seriously, bookmark this):

Calculate what you typically spend in December

Divide by 12

Set up automatic transfers of that amount monthly

Example: If you spend $1,200 in December, that's $100/month

By next November, you'll have the cash ready and zero panic

The "One In, One Out" Holiday Rule

For every new subscription, decoration, or recurring expense you add in December:

Something else has to go

Keeps the spending contained

Prevents "subscription creep" into January

Makes you really think about what matters

🎯 The January 2026 Game Plan

Let's be real - New Year's resolutions fail because we make them when we're tired, broke, and slightly hungover from New Year's Eve.

Instead, let's plan NOW while we're thinking clearly:

Week One of January:

• Do NOT make any financial commitments

• Let yourself recover from December

• Just track what you're spending (no judgment)

Week Two:

• Sit down with your actual numbers

• Figure out what December really cost

• Make a realistic plan for paying it off (if needed)

Week Three:

• Set ONE financial goal for 2026 (just one!)

• Make it specific and achievable

• Example: "Save $50/month" not "Save more money"

Week Four:

• Check in on that goal

• Adjust if needed

• Celebrate small wins

💭 What December Is Really About

Here's something hubby and I figured out a few years back...

The best Christmases we've had weren't the ones with the biggest budgets or fanciest gifts. They were the ones where we were genuinely present with the people we love.

Last year, we did something different. Instead of the usual gift exchange stress, we told family we were doing "experiences only."

Some people thought we were being cheap (looking at you, judgmental cousin nobody likes).

But you know what happened?

We spent Christmas morning doing a beach walk with my parents. It cost nothing. We still talk about it.

We had friends over for a potluck dinner instead of going to an expensive restaurant. Everyone brought something they loved making. Best meal of the year.

We volunteered at a local charity on Boxing Day. Felt better than any shopping spree ever could.

Total cost: maybe $100 for some food and gas.

Total value: priceless. (Yes, I just used that cliché, but it's TRUE!)

🌟 Your Festive Season Checklist

Here's what I'm doing this year (feel free to steal):

Financial Moves:

• ✅ Set a TOTAL holiday budget (mine's $800 for everything)

• ✅ Make a list of genuine gift recipients (down to 8 people from last year's 23!)

• ✅ Set aside money for January expenses NOW

• ✅ Pause any new subscriptions until February

• ✅ Plan one "experience gift" for close family

Meaningful Stuff:

• ✅ Schedule uninterrupted time with loved ones

• ✅ Plan at least one act of giving that's not about money

• ✅ Write thank-you notes to people who've made a difference this year

• ✅ Create one new tradition that costs nothing

• ✅ Take photos of MOMENTS, not just presents

2026 Prep:

• ✅ Block out time in early January for financial planning

• ✅ Start a "Next Christmas" fund on January 15th

• ✅ Set ONE clear financial goal for the year

• ✅ Schedule quarterly money check-ins in my calendar

🎁 The Real Gift

You know what the best gift is? And I'm not being corny here (okay, maybe a little).

The real gift is being present. Not stressed about money. Not worried about January. Not pretending you're having fun while internally calculating if you can still make rent.

When you manage your money well, you buy yourself the luxury of being genuinely, fully present with the people who matter.

That's what this newsletter is about. Not penny-pinching or denying yourself joy. It's about making choices NOW that give you freedom and peace of mind LATER.

💫 As We Head Into 2026...

I've got some exciting things planned for this newsletter next year. More real-world tips, fewer generic "just save more" platitudes….Maybe even some laughs along the way (because finance doesn't have to be boring, right?).

But for now?

Take a breath. Set that budget. Remember what really matters.

And maybe, just maybe, skip that luxury candle set.

(Unless your mother-in-law specifically asked for luxury candles. In which case, carry on.)

To your festive season success (and your sanity),

Ren

P.S. If you're sitting there thinking "but Ren, I've ALREADY overspent this December..." - deep breath. It's okay. January is a fresh start. We'll tackle it together. That's why I create the products I do!