On October 26, this column addressed the upcoming Black Friday and ways to work on preparing yourself for it. Well, it's here! Amazingly, despite the economic issues, raising prices and loss of jobs in our country, the average American is actually planning on spending more than last year! Do people learn? The question is are you an average American? I, for one, am a below average American, thank you very much!

For those of us who are looking to reduce our spending this Christmas season, here are a few great ideas to help aid in your goal:

1. Make or Bake Christmas: A few years ago when money was tight among virtually every member of my family, we decided to participate in a Make or Bake Christmas. The kids still got clothes and toys, but the spending was reduced by as much as 90% for everyone else because all of the adults decided they would like to receive a gift that was either made or baked. It was fantastic! The typical large eaters got a great dessert made especially for them and those who enjoyed crafts or other hand-made items were treated to something much more special than a $50 gift card to Aber-Rob-Me and Rich. Imagine the look on the faces of your family when they receive something that took thought, time, care and love to make. It's a true testament to the Spirit of Christmas.

2. Deck the Halls, but Ditch the Malls: If you missed the Black Friday superduperspecials at 3am, you're still in luck. There are some incredible deals nowhere near the big box stores or the megamall. Try Goodwill. That's right, Goodwill. Unlike public perception, Goodwill is a clean store that offers awesome deals on clean, gently used articles. How about a suitcoat for $5? Or a blouse for $2? Oh, what will the neighbors think? Who cares? Do they pay your bills? Besides, if they're there, then you're both smart! Consignment shops, pawn shops, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, and the like all offer fantastic deals that go unadvertised because they didn't rope you in with a fancy commercial.

3. Odds and Ends: When do you usually need a quart of oil, a tin of cinnamon or new pairs of socks? When you least expect it! These odds and ends can be put into a basket or bucket and wrapped, delivering a certain degree of shock value that will be realized as a handy gift when the time comes later. Put together a series of small tools, sockets and fluids in a cheap toolbox for the garage mechanic or the teen with a new license in the family. How about arranging a special gift basket with assorted, but lesser used spices for Grandmama? What if you bought each member of the family a year supply of underwear and socks every Christmas? Not a gift that they would rave over, but if they knew that they would never need to buy tighty-whities again, that would be one less thing off of the "lesser things" list that they wouldn't need to think about.

All in all, the potential for having an awesome Christmas shouldn't be missed just because you're going to cut the budget by 50-, 75- or even 90 percent. Creative thinking and communication with your entire family could actually make the cheaper Christmas the best Christmas ever!