I’m going to get really personal in this introduction because this time of year, I think it’s really important. The past few years, my family hasn’t done much in the way of Christmas gifts because we haven’t been able to afford it. Last year, we actually didn’t exchange gifts at all.

My mom is a single mother who has worked retail jobs for most of my life, so money has always been pretty tight for us. The store my mom worked at most recently closed because of the pandemic in early 2020, and because she’s part of a high risk group, she hasn’t worked anywhere since. Last year, we declared Christmas an eating holiday (much like Thanksgiving) and just ate an elaborate meal to celebrate the day instead of opening up presents.

And honestly? I loved it. It was low-maintenance and not stressful for us.

This is all to say that you don’t need to have a million gifts under the tree for Christmas to be worthwhile. I know this is the time of year when tons of people show off a crowded Christmas tree and the days after are filled with “What I got for Christmas” hauls. In my opinion, it’s important to recognize that not all families can make that happen.

I grew up without a ton of money in my household, and Christmas was always a time of racking up credit card debt. Right now, I make more in my entry-level job now than my mom ever has. I don’t say this to guilt anyone or make them feel bad for having things, but rather to be transparent about where I come from. Almost everything I have, I’ve worked for and bought myself. And I feel that it’s important to acknowledge that.

I wanted to acknowledge all of this for full transparency about my background. I’m not rich or wealthy. I won’t be posting a video about all the gifts I got this year (but I will absolutely be watching other people’s on YouTube because I think they’re so fun to watch). And I’m fine with that. I appreciate that I get to spend a holiday with my family, even if it looks different from a lot of other people’s. It’s perfectly okay to not receive dozens of Christmas gifts, especially in times like these where finances are tight for many.

That all being said, it’s still fun to create a Christmas wishlist, even if it’s only things that I just might purchase for myself instead of waiting for Santa to bring them to me. A lot of the things on this list are out of my budget, but it’s fun for me to dream anyway. Some items on it I might eventually buy myself (a few I even have already!), and some are way out of my price range. I enjoyed putting this all together, so here’s what I’d want for Christmas if money wasn’t a concern of mine.

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