Summertime Jingle Bells

By Gina Roberts-Grey

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The mercury may be rising, but there is no better time to plan for the chaotic holiday season! Be kind to your winter budget and avoid the holiday's lengthy lines. Start simply by scanning the summer sales racks, and you can get a jump on the holidays. Plus, you will get to shop in comfort without fighting for parking spots or fending off snow storms.

Not only will your family have a head start on the holidays, you'll have a terrific boredom buster when the novelty of summer break begins to wear off.

Starting some early bird holiday shopping can also create wonderful pockets of quality time with your teen or tween. Shopping affords you the opportunity to learn more about each others' interests. For example: Is she drawn to bold colors and designs, or is somthing subtle a little more up her alley? Is he drawn to sci-fi toys and games, or more to the medieval era? Then, there are things you can both learn. Want to understand the latest fashions? Scour the clearance racks together and you'll pick up a lesson in what kids consider stylish today. Then show your child something you know: How to choose the best quality fabric, or how to tell whether that leather is the genuine article.

Budget builders
“I Christmas shop all year round, especially in the middle of summer,” says Houston-based mom Tenna Perry. “Having a large family and long list of teachers and coaches, I couldn't afford December any other way. ” If you help finance your teen's holiday shopping, or are trying to encourage him or her to handle money responsibility, starting your adventure when many items are on sale models realistic holiday spending for teens. Together, you two can take advantage of summer prices, which are often lower than prices during the holiday shopping rush. (Another lesson here: Supply and demand.)

Introducing your son and daughter to the world of bargain shopping gives teens a head start on finding the perfect presents for all their "best friends forever." And teens who have a tough time finding gifts for certain friends, siblings or family members will appreciate having ample opportunity to browse a variety of sale items. It's no fun trying to find the perfect gift at the very last minute.

“Our daughter and her friends have started celebrating 'half holidays,'” says Jillian Heter of Bettendorf, Iowa. Realizing that they have more time during the summer to enjoy such occasions without the stress of poor weather and crowded stores, the kids look forward to celebrating holiday festivities and shopping during the summer. “They have such a great time saving their money and going on holiday shopping sprees on rainy or excessively warm days,” Heter says.

Creating the perfect gifts
Teenagers love to personalize gifts for their friends and family. Encourage them to scour the craft aisles for picture frames, beads, and other notions your teen can turn into personalized locker message centers, magnets, door hangers or key chains. “We make all our ceramic and craft gifts for the holidays during the summer,” says Canyon Lake, Texas mom Winter Prosapio. Stocking your art supply box with plenty of craft items purchased on sale gives teens and tweens the chance to create personalized and thrifty gifts all summer long.

Need some advice on technique? Check out local craft stores, libraries, park districts and community colleges for seminars offered on making goodies that will make perfect gifts. A pottery or photography class will pair nicely with a personalized photo frame or placemat handcrafted by your teen. “We conduct seminars for teens to make earrings, bracelets, and other types of jewelry or gifts during the summer,” says Stacey Murray, owner of Market Beads in Clay, New York. Making matching charm bracelets for close friends, or jewelry featuring favorite colors, will let your kids express their creativity.

Sale spending money
Implementing a reward system where your child can "bank" shopping points, dollars or credit can help instill an early sense of earning and saving money. The chance to earn what will be spent helps adolescents comprehend the value of shopping for an item that is not only perfect for a friend or loved one, but one that is perfect for their budget as well.

Along these same lines, start now to encourage your teens to clip and save coupons. Even a half-price pizza deal can be valuable, since spending less will help him or her save for the things that last longer than a pepperoni slice.