I am traditionally the original Scrooge at Christmas, the stress and pressure to try to make everything nice and find the perfect gift idea gets to me before the first ornament is out of the box, just the thought of it usually makes me grumble.

Sound familiar?

But this year I am kind of looking forward to it. Why?

Because I'm doing Christmas gift giving a little differently this year.

1. Instead of trying to do too much, I am cutting back and am determined to enjoy the experience (dammit :0)).

2. We picked names this year for the adults in the family rather than each of us buying for all of us. I can't tell you how much my stress level has already gone down, and I especially like it because now I have time to do something really unique for my father in law (he was my pick).

3. Getting the jump on things in plenty of time. Gift planning and some shopping was done in October by being on the look out when I was out shopping - I bought a few really cute things here and there. This way instead of buying "en masse", I am picking something fitting for each recipient.

4. Putting a limit on spending. As my sister said "I'm sick of the commercial crap of Christmas", and aren't we all. It isn't in how much we spend, a small, well thought out gift is better received than a large one that was obviously tossed in the cart with no forethought.

5. Decluttering - I've been working on decluttering so that the decorations will look nice. If you can get going now, it will make Christmas even nicer when the time comes. The Christmas Spirit - Peace - Goodwill towards All - Love - They're all buzzwords and shiny decorations that we hang on the wall at Christmas time - lets take the time to focus on what they mean - and then do it.

6. How about making this the season to "Pay It Forward". These stories have made me cry sappy tears more than once but I've never done it. Why not give it a try? They have a fantastic website, if you follow the links you can get some great ideas http://www.payitforwardmovement.org/groups.html

I signed up for the "Be Nice or Else" newsletter - they have a book that is great for gift giving, what a great coffee table that would make - or a great book to donate to a hospital for the waiting room.

NOTE: This page lists some great Christmas gift ideas, one of them being - clean someone's house. I will have more on that later, but meantime, why not think about it and brainstorm how you could make it happen.

http://www.giveitforwardtoday.org/index.php?page=ideas

I could think of no better gift! And it's cheap!

7. Make an effort to throw a little something in the Food Bank Bin when you are out grocery shopping for your family, or buy a little extra for the donation box at the department store when you are out shopping for gifts.

8. Or buy some toys to donate to the local women's shelter, some of the people there don't have a penny to their names and it's a sad and stressful time for the kids. Games and things to keep them busy are great, it can be a boring stay.

A FEW GENERAL IDEAS

1. Mystery Gift - My sister's family does a nice twist on picking names. They all buy something wrap it and then they each exchange a gift, no one knows ahead of time who will be receiving. They set a comfortable price limit.

2. Make a tradition of tree ornament crafts. You can give these for gifts, they are always well received and can be cheap to make, but very nice. Put your name and date on it and give one every year - a great present for the kids to give. Or take a short cut and buy them at a craft sale and personalize them with fabric paint or markers.

3. Give pictures in a unique way. Most relatives and friends will enjoy pictures. Do something creative - make a tree ornament from a picture and a juice lid, they are great. Or make a twig frame - cost is nothing but a few twigs and some yarn plus the picture. If you get school pictures, you'll have plenty. With digital cameras and software available now, you can do some really nifty stuff for plenty cheapola.

4. Baking/Cooking etc. If you are wanting to do something nice for someone, why not cook them a meal and take it to them? New mother's are especially fond of this. When I first had my daughters, it was the best present that I received. Seniors will LOVE it if you eat with them.

5. A service. In our hussle and bussle world, don't be surprised if someone really appreciates an hour of your time - run some errands, give rides (parents can really enjoy this if they have older kids - most of them spend their spare time in their car!), help clean up, declutter, clean something - use your imagination. Another great gift that the kids can give as well.

Make an effort to be creative this year. It's more fun to give, and more fun to receive - and it can be easier on your pocket book too.

If you haven't yet, get out your planner or notebook, make a page for Christmas gift ideas and start brainstorming.

Then make a date with yourself to clear some time blocks to get it done.

And enjoy Christmas.