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Highlands Today

Christmas On A Budget

Jasmina Meyer, Highlands Today

Donald and Alice Macintyre bring there Christmas items to their car after shopping at the Dollar Tree on Monday in Sebring.

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By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: December 9, 2008

SEBRING - Money's tight!

And when it comes to belt tightening, there are ways to spend less and still have a terrific holiday season.

One of the ways some frugal shoppers save is by shopping for bargains at area dollar stores or even the thrift shops.

Donald and Alice Macintyre of Lorida shopped Monday at a Sebring dollar store for gift wrap, sheets of colorful felt and table runners, as well as brain teaser games, other miscellaneous items and things to eat for stocking stuffers.

Alice was wearing a holiday sweatshirt her sister-in-law made for her a while ago. She broke it out when the temperatures dipped below 50.

"We have 28 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and we're still young," he said.

One can see why they were shopping for bargains.

"I shopped for six in there today," said Alice Macintyre, as she pushed aside a couple of bags to dig down in the cart. "We got things for kids and for grownups.

"Some are for decorating," she said holding up the felt and table runners. "Some are to play with. You can find things in there for all ages."

Getting picture frames at a reasonable price is also important, said Donald Macintyre.

"When they send you a school picture each year, you need a new one," he said.

Often it's the intangibles, the things you can't always see like a loving spouse; the things money can't buy, like time, that have more value than anything else during the holidays.

Macintyre was about as jolly as Santa on Monday, sharing in a raspy, yet powerful voice that he's been a throat cancer survivor for the last six years, and gave credit to his strong Christian faith for getting him through it. It reminded him each day is a gift, he said.

They described themselves as snowbirds from the Catskill Mountains near Cooperstown, in New York, and said they've wintered in Florida for 22 years.

Alice Macintyre said she usually makes pies for the family at Christmas. Some she bakes early - before they leave - for the New York relatives; and some for the Florida relatives when they get here.

She also crochets Afghans, doilies and other items as holiday gifts.

Year-round Sebring resident Shirley Shultis had a few items in her shopping cart as she exited a dollar store.

Her glasses sported a hand-made holiday eyeglass holder chain her daughter made for her. It had tiny Christmas trees and brightly colored beads, perfect for the season.

"She got tired of me losing my glasses all the time," she said.

Shultis said her daughter made her others; one with Santa beads and another with snowmen. I've got one for all the holidays. Her grandson learned to blow glass in Corning, N.Y. and made her beautiful glass-ball key rings.

Was she shopping on a budget this year?

"That's why I came here," she said standing outside the store. "Especially for the wrapping paper; you can't buy it anyplace else for a dollar."

She was surprised how busy the stores and roads were.

"For the economy being bad, there sure is a lot of traffic," she observed.

Shultis said she makes cookies and peanut brittle for Christmas.

Was it cheaper to make the cookies herself?

She didn't know. She likes making them and they tasted better.

So what's different this year than in other years?

"We're staying home," she said, adding the last time she and her husband went to New York in the winter they both came back sick.

Her family lives in Wilmington, N.Y., and in past years they've spent Christmas with them. She called to tell them it dropped into the 50s, but her news fell on unsympathetic ears, when she learned it was 5 degrees up there.

Bill Rouse and his mom, Robin Space of Sebring, were out Monday enjoying the cool weather. They said they were the perfect people to ask about shopping on a budget. They're both disabled and had to stretch their dollars.

"We shop at the outlet stores for clothes," said Space. "They've got some sales right now. But for gift wrap and Christmas cards we shop at the dollar stores."

Rouse said he shops for household presents instead of individual presents, for example, videos or a CD.

"Our whole family is Christian," he said. "My dad does embroidery, so I asked him to embroider a pillow with John 3:16 as a gift.

"I basically cut back buying presents for each person," said Space. "And we don't use the heat or air so we can have festive lights outside."

"Also using low energy lights is important," Rouse added.

But, even if you're flat broke, Christmas gifts don't have to cost a dime.

Some money saving ideas and spending alternatives from the http://familyfinances.suite101.com/article.cfm/chr... Web site include giving the gift of your time with some creative coupons that your friends or relatives can "cash in" at a later date.

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