With the holidays literally around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of the traditions I had when I was growing up. We didn’t have a lot of extra money laying around, so my parents had to be creative with ways to make fun memories that didn’t impact our family budget. Here’s the best thing about these fun memories and family traditions: they didn’t cost much – if anything.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been very open about my debt issues and the fact that I’ve decided to finally tackle those issues head-on. What’s more, I’ve decided that the only way I’m going to win my War On Debt is to not keep it a secret – but rather, tell everyone I know (and don’t know) about my plan. And now that I’m right in the middle of fighting the good fight, I have made the decision that it’s not financially responsible for me to host and cater a huge holiday party this year. Instead, I’ve decided that some long-forgotten frugal family traditions need to be dusted off and renewed.

One of my favorite holiday traditions was my parents’ annual “Nail Soup” Party. The story of Nail Soup (sometimes known as “Stone Soup”) is an old European fable. Perhaps you’ve heard it. If not, here’s the short version:

Once upon a time, there was a soldier who was returning from a war.

The soldier was very hungry and only had the clothes on his back, an old cooking pot, and a nail in his pocket. He came upon a small village whose citizens were also poor and hungry. No one was willing (or could afford) to put him up for the night.

So, the soldier built a fire in the village square and filled his cooking pot with water and the nail from his pocket. When he started to draw attention from the villagers, he told them that he was making the king’s favorite meal, Nail Soup. He told the villagers that the soup was the most delicious soup he’d ever eaten and he would be honored to share it with all of them. He explained that because there were so many to feed and the nail had already been used several times before, the soup might be a little thin.

In their excitement of tasting the king’s favorite meal, each of the villagers decided they could part with something from their cupboards to add to the pot to help the soup along. Some added spices, others added vegetables, and one generous soul even added a bit of meat.

As the soup was cooking, the villagers shared their stories with the soldier, and each other. They realized that they had so much more in common than they had originally thought.

When the soup had finished cooking, the soldier removed the nail from the pot and pronounced the meal complete. That night, all of the villagers and the soldier ate like royalty. For many, it was the first satisfying meal they had eaten in a while.

The soldier was invited to stay, as he was no longer a mistrusted stranger, but a true friend.

During the annual Nail Soup party, my parents invited their friends to come enjoy dinner at our house. Each guest was instructed to bring something to add to the large pot of hot water (yes, our pot even included a nail — it was a special nail that my parents used each year). Some friends brought ingredients to add to the soup. Others brought side dishes. Some brought desserts. And others brought things to drink.

The party started off as a small get-together, but as the years passed, it grew into an annual event. And although the soup was tasty (and different every year), the party wasn’t about the soup at all. The secret ingredient to the Nail Soup was joy; the joy of coming together as a community; the joy of seeing old friends and welcoming new. It was about celebrating together – friends and family.

Remembering the yearly Nail Soup parties as well as other traditions from my childhood has really put me in a great, positive mindset for the holidays. Sharing my financial goals with my family and friends has actually been a relief. I’m not stressing about how I’m going to stay on my budget – everybody knows about my budget. This year, I’m focusing on being present instead of focusing on presents. It’s not always easy, but it’s the right thing to do.

If you’re interested in waging your own War On Debt, but not sure where to start, I encourage you to check out Dani’s 10 Step War On Debt Battle Plan. This is a step-by-step plan to help get your finances under control, stop going further into debt, and never carry around the burden of debt again. Check it out.

Until next time, I wish you peace, comfort, joy, and a big helping of Nail Soup!

Laura