Student-parents at CSUN,

It’s hard to believe the holidays are fast approaching, it seems like Halloween just passed.  The minute witches and spiders left the store shelves, they were replaced with candy canes and Christmas decor.  We haven’t even had a chance to sit down and give thanks, and we’re already bombarded with Christmas deals and rumors of what stores will have the best bargains.  Sometimes even thinking about shopping can cause a headache.  Maybe it’s okay not to even have to think about Christmas gifts this Thanksgiving holiday.

This year, I’ve decided to become a different type of Santa Claus.  I’ve been forced to do this because of the recession and a realization that I came to after purchasing all the gifts before Christmas last year.  The best deals happen after Christmas.  The toy kitchen I bought for my daughter, was selling at 50 percent off the original purchase price the day after Christmas.

My new Santa Claus, is purchasing one gift for each child to open Christmas day, then gift certificates to their favorite stores to spend after Christmas.  To make it seem like there’s a lot of gifts, I’m going to purchase the gift cards in small increments and wrap them in boxes.

This is also a great way to spend the holidays together since the kids are home till after the New Year anyway.  Take the kids out for a shopping day after Christmas, they’ll feel like they’re celebrating all over again, while being able to purchase what they want, and at the best prices.