As a child growing up, I never realized that my parents didn’t have much. Like many families in the late ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s, we struggled—but as kids, we didn’t know it. My father was a construction worker, my mother worked for the New York Department of Education. During the winter, my dad was often laid off. I didn’t fully understand what that meant; I just knew that when the snow came and the weather turned cold, he was home.

Still, my parents always found a way to give me, my sisters, nieces, and nephews the best Christmases. Even when the bills piled up, somehow Christmas morning meant a tree full of gifts. I remember going to bed on Christmas Eve and seeing nothing under the tree, only to wake up the next morning to find it filled.

Looking back, I now understand how they did it. My mom would take me to Alexander’s, have me try on clothes, and then take them to the counter. I never took them home, because she was putting them on layaway. She’d put down a few dollars, then come back every week with $5 or $10 until Christmas.

In January, my parents would also open something called a Christmas Club account at the bank. Each week, they’d put in whatever they could—sometimes $5, sometimes $2, and if times were better, $20. By November, the account would have enough saved up to pay for Christmas gifts. That meant no scrambling, no debt hanging over them in January.

One day, I asked my Aunt Alma about it, and she explained it wasn’t just my parents—everybody did it back then. Credit cards weren’t easy to get, so families leaned on resources like layaway, bank Christmas Clubs, or even susus—community savings circles where everyone contributed, and each person took a turn receiving the payout. It was about planning, discipline, and community.

Today, credit cards and apps like Afterpay and Klarna have replaced those old-school systems. They can help, but only if you understand the terms, fees, and interest. What worked for my parents still works now: planning ahead, putting aside a little each week, and finding smart ways to stretch what you have.

The holidays will always come, and money will always feel tight. But with a little planning—whether through a bank savings account, a layaway program, or a savings circle—you can give your family a joyful holiday without going broke in January.