for Christmas dinner, it's a huge disappointment." Celebrate without breaking the bank Last year : You woke up with a credit hangover on New Year's Day. This year : Put more thought into gift giving. Decide on a budget. Determine what you can afford, then put the cash into separate envelopes (so if you're shopping for a dozen people, you'll have 12 envelopes), says Gail Vaz-Oxlade, TV host of Til Debt Do Us Part and author of MoneySmart Kids . You won't rack up debt and you'll be less likely to overspend. "To splurge on one person, you have to steal from someone else's envelope." Track purchases Jot down gift ideas and what you've purchased. This way, you won't overbuy. Gift your time Think of paid services and gift coupons for something you're willing to do, such as free babysitting once a month for your sister. Last year : Your list was longer than Santa's beard. This year : Trim your list before trimming the tree. "We buy presents for everybody and easily spend over $1,000," says Simon. "By the time my husband's relatives give me ideas, it's close to Christmas and I'm spending full price. And it's usually last-minute, with kids in tow." Instead, talk to your family at Thanksgiving about doing a Secret Santa or Texas Swap with a dollar limit, say $25, so each adult only buys one gift for another adult within the extended family. Or agree not to exchange with friends and their kids. "Make