Finish the Year with Intention: Time, Money & Meaning This Holiday Season
As November and December swirl around us with shopping lists, seasonal events, and end-of-year deadlines, it’s easy to let time slip away—and so does the money. Before we know it, January arrives with a pang of regret: “Why did I spend so much?” or “Maybe I need a second or third job.” At Artisan Shop USA, we believe in Faith · Family · Country—and part of that is wise stewardship of our hours and our dollars. This season let’s choose to lead with intention, not just tradition.
The Emotional Heart of Holiday Spending
Money isn’t just numbers. As clinical psychologist Dr. Kate Levinson explains, our financial lives are deeply infused with emotion:
“We tend to think of money in terms of dollars and cents…but money is ‘emotional currency’ as well” (Levinson, 2011).
She invites us to pause and ask: What am I really expressing when I buy this gift? Fear of missing out? Guilt that I’m not doing enough? A hope to be valued? When we skip that question, our spending turns into impulse buying, and the holiday season can quickly shift from celebration to stress.
Dr. Claudia Hammond, in Mind Over Money, explores these hidden dynamics further: our relationship with money “is more complex than we might think” and full of emotional triggers (Hammond, 2016). Behind each purchase is a storyline—of identity, emotion, hope, or anxiety. Understanding that gives us power over our behavior rather than being driven by it, which is especially important during the holidays when so much of our spending is about people, meaning, and memory.
Time Is the Gift That Often Gets Overlooked
It’s not just what we spend—it’s also how we spend our time. Without intentional pauses, busyness overtakes joy. You might move from gift shopping to parties to travel without ever stopping and asking, “What matters most this season?”
Can you envision a moment like the one in this AI sweet family image? Creating a bonding moment like this is a huge win. Block out an evening for meaningful connection, not just activity.
Spend a half-hour wrapping a gift, then another moment writing a sincere note. Reserve time to read aloud a holiday story to your kids—because calm connection costs nothing and pays lifelong dividends.
Managing time helps manage money. When we rush, we make impulsive choices. When we pause, we ask: Does this align with what matters? That question calms not only our calendar but also our cash flow.
A Holiday Money Plan That Honors What Matters
With just 48 days until Christmas, this is the perfect moment to pause and plan intentionally. Before you start filling the cart or clicking “buy now,” take a breath and ask yourself: What do I really want to feel or express with these gifts?
Once you’ve grounded yourself in that question, it’s time for practical wisdom. Look back at last year’s spending and decide what felt good—and what didn’t. Set a realistic budget that brings peace instead of pressure. Write down the names of gift recipients, assign an amount for each person, and keep that money separate so it’s easier to track. Choose meaningful, USA-made gifts (like those we offer at Artisan Shop USA) that support local artisans while staying within your plan.
Pick a “stop spending” date—perhaps December 15 or 16—and let everything after that be about presence, not presents. Enjoy the lights, the gatherings, the warmth that can’t be wrapped. When the season ends, reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and give yourself credit for finishing within budget.
Financial psychologist Dr. Brad Klontz notes that our emotions often guide our money choices more than we realize; bringing awareness to our “inner money life” helps us transform spending into an act of alignment and care (Klontz, 2022). Author Rachel Cruze reminds us: when we give with purpose instead of impulse, we invite both peace and joy into our homes (Cruze, 2021).
Aligning Time + Money with Faith · Family · Country.
* Faith: Use reading moments to share values, stories, or prayers—not just gift lists.
* Family: Choose quality time and thoughtfully purchased items over frantic quantity.
* Country: Support U.S.-made goods and local creators—investing in your community while you give.
When your timing, spending, and values align, you start January not with regret, but with clarity, purpose, and freedom.
Readiness for the Season
Take one quiet moment today to write down who you’re celebrating and what you hope your giving will say. Then set your budget and mark your stop-spend date. Gift thoughtfully, spend intentionally, love freely. Let this season be a celebration of meaning, not madness.
Because when you read to a child, wrap a present with care, or support a small-batch artisan, you’re not just buying something—you’re giving time, thought, and connection. Those are the gifts that last far beyond December.
The photo above features our Artisan-made Olive Oil & Seasonings Christmas Gift set. You can more details in the store here.
References
Levinson, Kate Ph.D. (2011). Emotional Currency: A Woman’s Guide to Building a Healthy Relationship with Money.
Hammond, Claudia. (2016). Mind Over Money: The Psychology of Money and How to Use It Better.
Klontz, Brad Ph.D. (2022). “The Emotional Life of Money.” Journal of Financial Therapy, 16(1).
Cruze, Rachel. (2021). Love Your Life, Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Motivated Women.
I’m Lauren—a writer, educator, and novelty quilter with over 30 years of experience in service and sales. I’ve taught high school English, worked as a journalist, and now run Artisan Shop USA, a marketplace supporting handmade artistry and the sharing of faith, family, and country. I’m also a wife, mom, and lifelong lover of storytelling.