I recently did a podcast with a local mental health service on how to survive money stress during the holidays. We forget that gifts of time, experience, and expertise are as valuable -- or more valuable -- than store-bought purchases.  So, the show’s host and I instead discussed ways to avoid overspending, including some tips for planning.

This reminded me of the super-successful Mastercard “Priceless”™ ad campaign in which the payoff was always the feeling of joy and delight created by purchase of an “experience” rather than a “thing.”

I have my own list of priceless holiday gifts:

• An invitation to a family tree-trimming ritual;
  A pre-made lasagna (from my Italian girlfriend whose lasagna recipe is TDF … we should all have such a friend); and

• A Mets game at Shea Stadium.

You can imagine my delight when my stepdaughter asked for experiences this year as gifts. We will buy an annual pass to the Cincinnati Museum for the family, Mets-Reds tickets for when my dear Amazins’ are in town, and summer tickets to the Western and Southern Open Tennis Tournament.

When she asked if we could give her some ideas for our gifts, we reciprocated in kind.  This year, I want a weekly UNO game with the family (you haven’t lived until you’ve played killer UNO with a five-year-old), invites to gymnastics and music lessons and recitals, and the privilege of being the on-call adult for pickup/drop-off emergencies.

Back in New York, we will have the standing Christmas ritual of Chinese food and a movie with Hurricane Jackie. But we have many experiences and rituals yet to create.  I so look forward to finding out what they will be.  Priceless indeed.

Happy Christmakwanzukkah, from the team at Madrina Molly™.

The information contained herein and shared by Madrina Molly™ constitutes financial education and not investment or financial advice