If you’re stressing over how much you’ve already spent on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, be of good cheer. Once you retire, it’ll likely be different.

But it may not be in ways that you expect.

According to a Money report, there’s both good news and bad news about how your holiday revels may be transformed once you’re no longer reporting to a job every day.

The good news: Since you won’t be clocking in every day, you can spend those precious hours instead on whatever facet of holiday planning that you need to complete without stressing over whether you can get it done in time to start on the next projects.

You’ll also be able to devote more time to actually celebrating.

The bad news: you might not be able to splurge on gifts—or even travel—the way you’d anticipated. You might want to think twice—and review your retirement accounts—first.

Then there are the twin issues of health and energy.

Okay, so maybe you do have plenty of money with which to travel to see far-flung family members, and can pay for any extended trips and the lodging they entail, or the airline tickets you never used to need when you could still make those 12–14 hour drives.

But you may simply not have the energy for such long jaunts—or the health to be able to travel away from familiar doctors and hospitals or even lug all the health gear you’d need to bring from home (oxygen, wheelchair, multiple medications, CPAP machines…you get the picture).

A prime holiday activity to consider once you’re retired is talking with family members and friends as early as possible before the holidays.

Let them know of any limitations you may have now—whether they’re money-related or health/energy-related—so that everyone knows what to expect, no one’s feelings (well, as few as possible) are hurt by the changes and potential solutions to problems can be explored by brainstorming.

And before you jump into holiday festivities with both feet, do consider making a budget, discussing with the kids why you can’t provide all the grandkids’ Santa lists any more, and pointing out the reasons that travel from Seattle to Hoboken just isn’t going to happen this year. Now Hoboken to Seattle, on the other hand…

Instant Insights /

Holiday fun will change if you haven't saved enough in your 401(k)

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