By Brandon Miller –
The holiday season has a way of speeding everything up. Calendars fill, inboxes overflow, and suddenly you’re juggling festive plans, family logistics, travel costs, year-end deadlines, and a swirl of expectations. It’s no surprise that even the most grounded financial intentions can get pushed aside this time of year.
But December doesn’t have to be the month where your financial confidence takes a back seat. With a little clarity and a few intentional practices, you can enjoy the season fully while still honoring the goals you’ve worked hard to set.
Reconnect With What Matters
Before diving into shopping lists or travel plans, take a moment to revisit your financial purpose. What are you working toward, and why does it matter to you? For some, it’s the security of knowing they’re on track for retirement. For others, it’s the freedom to spend more time with loved ones, support their community, or create experiences that feel meaningful.
Returning to that core purpose gives you a natural filter for holiday spending. It’s easier to say yes to what aligns and gracefully decline what doesn’t when you know the bigger story behind your financial choices.
Set a Seasonal Spending Intention
Instead of a strict budget, try a simple intention for the season. It might sound like:
•I want my holiday spending to reflect connection, not obligation.
•I want to focus on experiences over things.
•I want my generosity to feel purposeful.
This kind of framing gives you direction without rigidity and allows you to stay grounded when the holiday rush tries to sweep you along.
Watch for Emotional Spending Triggers
The holidays can stir up nostalgia, comparison, pressure to reciprocate, or the desire to create a “perfect” experience. Those feelings are real, and they often lead to spending that doesn’t align with your priorities. When you feel the urge to overspend, pause long enough to ask yourself: Am I buying this to create joy, or am I soothing stress?
Even a moment of clarity can help you make a choice that feels more intentional.
Give Generously, but Smartly
December is a natural time for charitable giving, and there are thoughtful ways to make your impact go further. Gifts of appreciated stock, year-end donations to a Donor-Advised Fund, or simply planning your contributions with tax efficiency in mind can help you support the causes you love while also strengthening your overall financial strategy.
Generosity is most powerful when it’s both heartfelt and aligned with your long-term goals.
Protect the Big Picture
This is also a good moment to review the basics that often get lost in the year-end shuffle. A quick check of your retirement contributions, flexible spending accounts, withholding choices, or portfolio allocation can prevent unwelcome surprises next year. Consider it part of your holiday prep, right alongside decorating or planning your gatherings.
Start the New Year Clearheaded
January feels much more energizing when you haven’t spent December unraveling the financial progress you made all year. By giving yourself permission to slow down, stay anchored to your purpose, and make choices that reflect your values, you set yourself up to enter 2026 with clarity and confidence.
And, if you want help aligning your year-end decisions with your broader financial plan, we’re here. Brio is all about helping you live your best life with intention, in December and beyond.
This material presented by Brio Financial Group (“Brio”) is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy, or investment product. Facts presented have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Brio cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information, and certain information presented here may have been condensed or summarized from its original source. This information may contain certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Please note that any such statements are not guarantees of any future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those discussed. No investor should assume future performance will be profitable or equal the previous reflected performance. Any reference to an index is included for illustrative purposes only, as an index is not a security in which an investment can be made. They are unmanaged vehicles that serve as market indicators and do not account for the deduction of management fees and/or transaction costs generally associated with investable products. The S&P 500 Total Return Index represents U.S. stock returns.This includes 500 leading companies in the U.S. and is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities, where dividends are reinvested. The holdings and performance of Brio client accounts may vary widely from those of the presented indices. Brio does not provide legal or tax advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as legal or tax advice. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place.
Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals. For more information: https://www.briofg.com/
Money Matters
Published on December 18, 2025
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