Christmas merchandise showed up in the stores in September.  Toy commercials have multiplied.  The Christmas blitz is upon us.  Are you ready?  Have you planned your holiday budget?

According to some sources, the average American family spends over $1,000 on Christmas gifts.  In Romans 12:2a, God admonishes us, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  The average disciple should be different.  Do you know how much you will spend?

"My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight....They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling....You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked...."  (Proverbs 3:21-26, NLT) Good planning helps us avoid disaster. Most of us in the first world, especially in the United States, plan too little and spend far too much. December is too late to do your planning.  The time to plan is now, before you buy the first gift.

Here are some keys to planning your holiday budget:

1. Stay spiritual.  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23).  If you get the perfect present for each person on your list, but aren't able to meet your financial obligations in December, something is wrong.  Protect your heart from worldliness by maintaining your financial commitment to God and others through the holidays.

2. Get unified.  Married couples must be unified about their budget.  Why?  For one, if you're not unified, God won't bless your plans ("...every...household divided against itself will not stand"  (Matthew 12:25b).  Secondly, if you're not unified, at least one of you won't follow the budget, making it pointless.  Areas to discuss and agree upon:

a) How much to spend on each category (see below).
b) If it's okay to use credit to pay for things.  If so, will you only use credit for items ordered online and from catalogs, or is it okay for everything.

3. Don't leave anything out.  It's better to feel like you're over-planning than to miss something and be caught by surprise.  These are the categories we've learned to include in our Christmas budget:

a) Cards  -- If you buy boxed cards, it's cheapest to buy them at the after-Christmas sales.  If you give photo cards, shop around for the best price on the number you need to send.

b) Postage -- It took us a few years to get the hang of this part.  Remember to account for any changes in the price of postage where you live. 

c) Gifts -- Talk about who should be on your list and how much you'll spend for each person.  If your family does stocking stuffers, don't forget to allow for these.  Make sure you agree about whether the amount budgeted is for the base price or the whole price including tax.  Taxes add up.

d) Shipping -- If you send gifts to family and friends far away, don't forget to plan for the shipping costs.  If you're buying gifts online or from catalogs, you can often get the shipping for free, so shop around for the best place to purchase what you need.  If you don't do this, the shipping can cost more than the gift.

e) Gift Wrap -- This is another item best purchased at the after-Christmas sales. 

f) Baking and Other Holiday Cooking -- If you make cookies, tamales, or some other food gift for neighbors and friends, don't forget to include this in your budget.  If you have it in mind in advance, you can watch the supermarket sales for your ingredients to go on sale.  Comparison shop to see which stores have your ingredients for the best price.  Often, restaurant supply stores have better prices than the warehouse stores on the large amounts you need for holiday baking and cooking.

g) Charity -- If your church conducts an annual toy drive or your office has a holiday food drive, plan for this in your budget.  Making room in your heart and your budget for the poor will help you keep your heart more grateful.

h) Christmas Tree and Other Decorations -- If you buy a fresh tree, plan for the cost of this and any other decorations that you buy each year (fresh wreath or garland, mistletoe, etc.). 

i) Holiday Entertaining -- If you're hosting Christmas dinner for 30 people or any other large gathering, you probably ought to include this in your budget, too.  This kind of shopping is usually more expensive than your regular grocery shopping, and you'll need to have a plan.

j) Birthdays -- If you have any birthdays, your anniversary, etc. that fall between now and the end of the year, you might want to include this as a category in your Christmas budget so you don't get caught by surprise.

4. Keep a Record.  Keep a record of what you you've budgeted and what you actually end up spending in each category.  In the future, you will be able to refer to this and make any necessary small changes, rather than having to create a whole new budget each year.  If you like that kind of thing, you can keep it all in a spreadsheet on your computer with detailed entries for each item purchased.

Just as each person must make his own decision about how much to give to God in his weekly contribution, each family has to make their own decisions about what to spend on the holidays.  As with contribution, it should be in keeping with your income; what is reasonable for one family might be sinfully extravagant for another.  Have fun creating your budget and preparing for Christmas.  With your finances organized, you'll be able to focus on the true meaning of Christmas while celebrating and having fun with your family and friends.

Click here for your Holiday Budget Worksheet

If you think your convictions about keeping your finances godly need to be deeper, check out the following links for a two-week quiet time series on God's view of our finances:

Finance Quiet Time Day 1

Finance Quiet Time Day 2

Finance Quiet Time Day 3

Finance Quiet Time Day 4

Finance Quiet Time Day 5

Finance Quiet Time Day 6

Finance Quiet Time Day 7

Finance Quiet Time Day 8

Finance Quiet Time Day 9

Finance Quiet Time Day 10

Finance Quiet Time Day 11

Finance Quiet Time Day 12

Finance Quiet Time Day 13

Finance Quiet Time Day 14