Real Talk Thursday: Backup Plans, New Traditions, and an Honest Christmas

I’ll be honest… I sat down to write today and drew a complete blank. Then I realized that’s because my mind has been so full lately. So let’s just talk about what’s on my heart.

Feeling the shift

Lately, I’ve been feeling a shift. A pull toward having a backup plan, toward thinking bigger about where my family and I could be. I’ve even started considering moving out of state to be closer to family.

Nothing is decided. But after everything this year has brought, I keep coming back to the same desire: I want my kids surrounded by people who love them. I want a village, Sunday dinners, and traditions that feel like home.

Creating our own traditions

While I figure out the bigger picture, I’m not waiting to make memories. I just wrote down three things I want to do with the kids on Sundays next month:

1. Paint nutcrackers
2. Build a gingerbread house
3. Make our own ornaments

Simple, cozy, and a little messy… the best kind of tradition. Whether we’re here or somewhere new next year, these are the moments I want my kids to carry with them.

The Christmas conversation

I also had a serious talk with the kids about Christmas this year. I asked each of them to give me three wishes, and I promised I’d get one of them… but which one will be a surprise.

With this economy, things are hard, and I’d rather be honest with my kids than pretend. Christmas isn’t about how many boxes are under the tree. It’s about being together, and I want them to learn that gratitude matters more than quantity.

Rebuilding my cushion

Here’s the real reason I’m being intentional: I’m paying down debt and rebuilding my savings.

When I lost my job, I went four months without work. What carried us through was the cash I had saved. That cushion gave me room to breathe until I landed my role at Chase. Now I want to build it back up, because I never want to feel that kind of pressure without a safety net again.

Planting seeds for my kids

I’m also thinking long-term. I opened a brokerage account with Fidelity for myself, and I set up custodial Roth IRAs for each of my kids. I put money into them every pay period.

It’s not always a big amount, but consistency is the point. I want my kids to grow up knowing that saving and investing is normal, not something you figure out at 40. Generational wealth starts with small, steady steps.

The bottom line

This season, I’m choosing honesty over appearances, savings over spending, and memories over things. It’s not always easy, but it feels right.

Your turn…

How are you approaching the holidays this year? Are you scaling back, starting new traditions, or saving for something big? Tell me in the comments. I’d love to swap ideas! My kids really want to go to Japan or a Disney Cruise so let’s see what the future holds!

See you Monday… XO, Meka