It’s starting to look a lot more like Christmas. Actually, my friends aren’t getting much more than a handshake or a quick hug. No gift cards, no fancy gift packages and no cards in the mail.

So, in keeping with the traditional Christmas spirit, I’ve pretty much decided to spend the weekend scrounging through old boxes in search of potential gifts.

You can’t blame me for being conservative. After all, the gift giving stuff is way out of control. The economy is stressed, there’s no money, and the prospects of getting any cash in the days to come is utterly hopeless. I could, of course, always go to the bank and ruin things for a rainy day.

It doesn’t matter, though. I’m not what you would call money hungry or materialistic. My house isn’t decorated. I have yet to receive any Christmas cards. I haven’t made the effort to set up a yuletide display and I have no money to spend on Christmas decorations. All I have is a Christmas tree. It’s a six-footer with colored lights valued at about $20. That’s because setting up the expensive tree takes up too much time and there’s no tinsel to spice it up anyways. It also ruins the view on my mantle. Not that I don’t enjoy Christmas decorations.

The nice people who take the time to enjoy the holiday season by adorning their homes and yards with Christmas lights contribute considerably to the joyous season. I love how they decorate. I’m just too lazy to do it myself.

Oh, well … Bah, humbug. I just don’t want to mess with it. I’m spending Christmas watching football on television, and I may even tune in to the Lifetime channel just to see what it is my wife is watching. I’m telling all my family I’m going “Green” for the holidays. No gifts, no fancy Christmas boxes, no silver and gold wrapping paper, and no shiny ribbon … just an envelope with a few bucks to show I care. And don’t expect any gifts in return, either.

Getting back to my scrounging, I’ve found a nice picture frame, an unviewed movie (dating back to the mid 90s), a box of acrylic artist’s colors, hard to find tracing paper, and a puzzle, all unopened and in their original packaging. I’ll probably spice them up with some homemade Christmas CDs and stick them in one of last year’s left-over gift bags. I’m also not spending any money on gift tags.

Christmas doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can create great Christmas gifts at minimal expense. You can always give out simple and inexpensive gifts, make your own stuff, or pass out food platters with your homemade recipes as a bonus. You could also, as a final solution, shop online and at small thrift stores where bargains are always plentiful.

I love Christmas, and while I’ve never had a lot of money to spend, I’ve always managed to feel blessed and grateful for the abundance in my life. The material things aren’t quite as important. Christmas is about sharing your life with others, and a gift that occupies your loved one’s life isn’t worth giving.