Gift giving is one of the most common acts of gratitude, originating from ancient traditions of building stronger relationships. However, gift giving should no longer be necessary due to the amount of money spent, waste created, and the pressure to reciprocate.
Although gift giving is one way to show gratitude to others, there are many other ways to show appreciation to people that do not involve spending money. For example, during the holiday season millions of people around the world participate in White Elephant or Secret Santa, whether it is in school or the workplace. Every year an average of $979.5 billion to $989 billion is spent during the holiday season in the United States. Gift giving has been an existing tradition during the holiday season for many years, but with gifts getting more expensive, there are more cost effective ways to show appreciation.
In the past, gift giving was about giving back to the community, and less about just giving gifts for the sake of it. The tradition of gift gifting has roots in ancient Rome, when gift giving was based on the unification of social classes. Now, the core of gift giving has become based in materialism and consumerism.
Consumerism is defined as “the idea that increasing the consumption of goods and services purchased in the market is always a desirable goal, and that a person's well-being and happiness depend fundamentally on obtaining consumer goods and material possessions.” The advertisements of countless companies have caused the rise of consumerism during the holidays. According to Gifts International, “Gift-giving is such a widely celebrated event in the Western world that huge industries have grown up around it — billions of pounds, euros, and dollars are spent every year creating, marketing, and distributing products that people can buy for one another.” In the past, gift giving was necessary. People were giving to those less fortunate and providing them with gifts that would help them with their lives, but it has morphed into materialism due to pressure and overconsumption. With the rise of inflation in the economy it is important that people find cost-effective ways to show appreciation during the holidays.
Because gift giving has been a quintessential part of the holiday season, people do not realize the huge amount of money they are spending on these gifts. Marley Heller 24’ thinks that “the holiday season is about spreading love and joy towards the people that you love and appreciate.” Now, consumerism has turned the love and joy that Heller mentions into a culture of buying items for the sake of buying.
During the holiday season, people lean towards buying trendy items to give to others. However, these items tend to lose value over time as the micro-trends fade away. According to Becoming Minimalist, 53.1% of people report receiving unwanted gifts during Christmas. $16 billion is wasted on unwanted gifts every year. People tend to buy gifts that are trendy on the internet, but they tend to consider the popularity of the item in comparison to the general population rather than its value to the receiver. Examples of gifts that retain their value overtime are handmade gifts or written letters to loved ones. Spending a significant amount of money is not the only way to show appreciation to one another.
Despite gift giving being normalized, people should not feel obligated to give gifts simply because of tradition. The traditions created in the past that are still present now are no longer rooted in unification; instead, the act of giving gifts has become a mindless obligation. For example, Heller recalls, “when I was a little kid, my parents gave me gifts during Christmas, so I give gifts to others.” While Heller’s reason for gift giving is based in family and community, her reason is now rooted in burden.
Because gift giving creates a large amount of waste that contributes to global warming, decreasing the purchase of gifts during the holiday season could in turn mitigate the amount of waste created that ends up in landfills. The holidays are a time where a significant amount of waste is generated due to gift buying. Research from Stanford University states that there is a 25% increase of waste created in the United States specifically during the holiday season. While more effort is required to give thoughtful gifts, becoming a conscious consumer during the holidays has a less harmful impact on our planet.
Although you may feel stress to reciprocate, there are so many other possibilities to show appreciation. For example, Story Wolf-Tinsman admits that she feels the pressure to give gifts but she shows her appreciation in a different way: “I make gifts for people instead, such as knitting, or I am big on giving experiences such as a trip somewhere or a group roadtrip.” These gifts are less expensive and wasteful. Instead, they are thoughtful and creative. Although any gift has the caveat of potentially not being what the receiver wants, handmade gifts tend to represent more personal investment, creativity, create less waste, and are more cost effective.
Alternatively, there are other ways to show appreciation that are much more considerate and creative, and the recipient may even enjoy more. Furthermore, these alternatives are not costly nor wasteful.
Quality time:
Sharing traditions, watching Christmas movies, baking cookies together, or simply having a conversation can create strong connections.
Acts of service:
Helping with chores, running errands, or offering to cook a meal for someone can show you care.
Handwritten cards:
Taking the time to write a heartfelt message on a Christmas card adds a personal touch.
Community outreach:
Volunteering at a local shelter, donating to a charity, or participating in a food drive can spread holiday cheer.
Expressing gratitude:
Telling loved ones how much you appreciate them verbally or through thoughtful gestures.
Religious practices:
Attending church services or participating in religious traditions can be a way to connect with spirituality during the holiday season.
All of these options are available for you. They may require more effort and time but the holiday season is about showing appreciation to those you care about. Taking more time or effort for those you care about is much more valuable than simply spending money. Gift-giving is an important aspect of the holiday season, but it should not be the sole idea of the holidays. The satisfaction of handing over a present is not worth the waste of money, stress, and over consumption. At its core, the holiday season is about showing appreciation to loved ones and demonstrating kindness to those around you. Gift giving should not be the sole way to display gratitude.
With the many benefits of not spending money on gifts, why not switch it up this holiday season? This year, move away from past traditions and try to write a letter to loved ones or make a handmade gift to show your appreciation for those around you.
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