A Less Consumer Christmas
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do less. live more.
Thanksgiving is around the corner and that’s got me thinking about the holidays, specifically about Christmas. Christmas can be fun…really, really fun…and who isn’t excited about some time off work to spend with family? But each year I get a little bummed about how much stuff and spending is involved. If you’d like to see other posts I’ve written about gift buying, read here, here and here. This year, as the holiday season approaches, I’m starting to think about some ways to enjoy the good times but avoid the consumerism that leaves me feeling a little yucky.
Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash
Spend on Experiences
One thing I try to consider when gift buying is whether an experience, rather than a thing, could make a good gift or…well…experience. Here are some experiences I’ve enjoyed in the past (or am thinking about for this year)
Visit Santa Claus at the Mall - We’ve never done this, but I think this year might be the year!
Visiting Family - Super excited about this. My daughter and I are taking a girls trip to my hometown for Thanksgiving! While there, I have plans to take her to the zoo with my parents and go out to dinner with one of my best, best girlfriends.
Give the Gift of a Seasonal Event - We took one set of in-laws to an annual pig roast, with live music, in lieu of a gift.
Making Ornaments - One of the best Christmas activities I’ve done in recent years is making felt ornaments with my friend Vivian. This was easy and creative and every year I decorate the tree and remember doing this with her.
Going to buy, or chop down, a Christmas tree - a tradition. Honestly, I’m thinking about going artificial (our tree from last year is still in lying in our yard) but the smell and general festiveness of a live tree is wonderful.
Decorate the tree - always crazy with little kids, but always memorable.
Watch the Macy’s Day Parade - This was a family tradition growing up, and it still doesn’t quite feel like the holidays without watching the parade.
Become a Member - Last year, my husband got us a membership to a local art museum that I love. This year, I’m buying our family a membership to our library. Memberships reduce the cost of participating in the culture of one’s community and support beloved institutions. Win-win.
Photo by Mike Arney on Unsplash
Plan for Spending
Plan For Spending: Only a few years ago, I began to get realistic about the fact that the holiday season entailed spending a significant chunk of change…every year. Now, I build it into my budget. I have one savings account for holidays—this includes birthdays throughout the year, travel in summer and other holidays, and Christmas presents. From my personal experience, it feels better to know that you’re spending money saved for the purpose—and money that will be replenished next month—than charging gifts you can’t really afford on a credit card.
Plan How Much You Want to Spend: Another tradition I’ve tried to break is over-spending. Based on what’s in my holiday account, and what other holidays and vacations are approaching, I look at how much money I actually have available to spend on Christmas, and I try to keep as close to that limit as possible. It’s a sickening feeling to feel pressured to spend more than you’re comfortable with, so I try not to do it anymore. The total budget, though, is only one piece of the puzzle. The next step is to think about everyone you have to buy for. Once you have the list ready, you can divide your total amount of money between the people on your list. This way, when you’re shopping, you have a better idea of your limit for each person.
Plan for the Unexpected: There’s always the acquaintance who buys you a gift you weren’t expecting, a holiday toy drive, a Secret Santa exchange at work…something. I don’t exactly know what it will be this year but I do know that it’s coming, so I try to think about this when I do my budgeting. A minimum of about $50 seems like a good safety net to me.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Take Time
It’s easy to get lost in the busyness of the holiday season. Every day, regardless of the month, is busy when you’re working and raising a family, but the holidays make it more so. Each year, I set a goal to make sure I’m actually enjoying myself. Each year, I think I pretty much fail, but I’m going to try again this year. Here’s a couple of things I’m keeping in mind:
Maintain good habits of meditation and exercise
Don’t get so busy that I only eat crap
Take time out to do something recuperative (aka, book that spa appointment now!)
Get a haircut before the holidays
Don’t feel like you have to say yes to every social request
Don’t rush my kids around (It’s supposed to be fun!)
Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash
Purchase for a Purpose
In recent years I made one big change in my holiday spending that has helped me manage my ambivalence about Christmas consumerism: I purchase with a purpose. One shop I really like is Unicef USA (I also shop Unicef UK for my family overseas). These gifts support a non-profit organization that promote health and education for children all over the world, and they’re beautiful. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Heifer International are two other good options.
I’m a huge fan of the blog Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson’s blog about her transformation to Zero Waste in the everyday life of a mom of two. She’s now doing world tours promoting her book and her ideas about reducing waste and consumption, and she has an Amazon shop that sells many of the products she touts, delivered with minimal (wasteful) packaging. This lady is inspirational and so, so fashionable despite a super minimal wardrobe!
I think it’s also worth thinking about buying gifts for the people in your life that may provide services that help you day-to-day. Does someone mow your lawn or help care for your children? A gift need not be expensive to acknowledge their contribution to your life.
Last one: I buy frames. Frames? you ask. Frames. Life is moving fast, and so is my children’s childhood. So, each year, I buy frames to hold my kids’ school pictures: one for each set of grandparents, and one for us.
Do you have ideas for making the holidays more meaningful? Share them in the comments section below.
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