The holiday season is rapidly approaching; Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, whatever you call it, is about spending time with friends and family, enjoying a meal, and the true meaning of the holiday you choose to celebrate. It is NOT about who spends the most, who has the biggest pile of gifts, or who got the most Christmas cards.
Many of us take the true meaning and purpose of the holiday season and turn it into a spending spree only to find the credit card hangover in January lasts until next year when it starts all over again.
The Target, Our Children
The commercialization of the holidays has gotten worse despite the lagging economy; advertisers are moving full speed ahead to make these last two months compensate for the preceding losses over the year. Even more alarming is their target market, our children. It makes me sad to ask a child what Christmas means only to have them answer, “That’s when Santa comes.”
Over the last week I’ve received four “Big Toy Book’s” and the TV commercials are all focused on pre-holiday sales including the new marketing tactic, early Black Friday sales. Really, we need early Black Friday?
Ah, the power of advertising. We are so wrapped up in gift giving/receiving, that we end up missing out on all the little things the holidays are about. Gifts and decorations have become the focus instead of what really matters.
Rethink Gift Giving
The holidays are the perfect time to share with your loved ones, but that doesn’t mean you need to purchase a Chia Pet, or the latest “As Seen on TV” product for your uncle Louie. After all, do you really think Uncle Louie wants the Chi Pet?
People seem to morph into crazed holiday shoppers and if the malls are any indication of people’s attitudes around the holidays, “psychotic” may be a better adjective to describe them. We are all in search of the “perfect” gifts for everyone on our list and if we can’t find them, we resort to generic, meaningless gifts like the Chi Pet, just so we have something to present to the intended recipient.
This year take a long, hard look at your list; Grandma, Mom, Dad, Uncle Louie and really think about how you could make them smile or bring them joy. I guarantee you it won’t be with a Chi Pet.
Just Be You
We all have special gifts we can share with our loved ones and most of them won’t cost a dime. Financial losses have forced many of us to cut back on luxuries we once enjoyed and no longer fit in the budget. So get creative, use your talents, and carve out time to make someone’s holiday. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Offer your services. Consider giving Mom and Dad the gift of your help with their taxes. Give Grandma the gift of housecleaning services. And Uncle Louie might enjoy having help organizing his garage. Yeah they could all probably handle these tasks on their own but by giving your “services” as a gift they get your help and a bonus of spending a few hours with you.
- The gift of time. All children crave their parent’s time and attention and sometimes we just don’t have it or neglect the importance of one on one, undivided attention. Make a coupon book for your child filled with activities they can do with you upon producing the coupon. No exceptions drop whatever you are doing and give them your time. A few suggestions; pick a movie from your DVD collection and watch the whole thing together, bake a batch of cookies or brownies, draw pictures and color them together, play a board game, or read a story.
- A new tradition. For me the holidays are filled with nostalgia and tradition. Make up a new tradition for your loved one. Creating a memory gives your recipient a gift that lasts a lifetime, no wearing out, breaking, or tossing in the back of the closet.
This year how will you buck the system; fight commercialism, avoid the credit card hangover, and actually enjoy spending time with family and friends—no strings, ribbons or bows attached?
I can’t believe that Chia Pets are still around. I have never purchased one, never received one, nor do I plan to. Now I am going to have that jingle stuck in my head all day. Ch..Ch..Ch..Chia!
Me neither!! They are absolutely hideous! If I want a plant it’s not going to have a creepy face with an overgrown hair-do that’s for sure. Thankfully I’ve never had to return a Chia-Pet which is what I would do if I got one right after picking up a nice plant to replace it. 😀
@cashflowmantra Lol… I know I have had that silly jingle in my head since I wrote the post! For whatever reason I have always equated the Chia Pet with the most thoughtless gift you could give someone. Who really wants or needs pottery that grows hair!
Not I! I’ve got perfectly good kids that have that ability and I love them way more than I would ever love plant pottery. Plus they’re way cuter! 😀
Oddly enough, a Chia Pet would be a great gift for me, but that’s because I love stupid kitsch that reminds me of my childhood. It’s the cashmere sweater that I wouldn’t want because a baby or a pet is likely to smear peanut butter or some other substance on it. But I agree, we need to get away from the culture of materialism. My husband and I try to give each other experience gifts like tickets to a concert or play or a day long hike. It makes for much better memories. (Although the Chia Pet would just keep on giving in my household.)
Cha, Cha, Cha, Chia!
Hit the nail on the head, Suzanne! When loved ones ask me what I want for Christmas, I say “nothing” – and I mean it. The best gift people could give me is to not spend a cent on me. What I want is their time, their attention, oh, and for them to let me cook something awesome for them.
I’m odd that way. 🙂
The universal gift of food! It doesn’t get any more special than that my friend and it costs significantly less. 😀
@Emily Guy Birken Ah, yes the Chia Pet reminds me of childhood too (even though I never received one as a gift) Love the idea of “experience” gifts! A perfect way to spend time together doing something you both enjoy.
@Travis I say the same to my loved ones and mean it too! In fact this year I finally was able to convince my immediate family to only exchange for the kids so my list has shrunk by 70%! If you really want to get me a present, I will let you cook for me!
I couldn’t have said it better Suzanne! The biggest thing that bothers me about Christmas is the fact that people spend every dime they have (or don’t have) in the name of giving someone a gift. I absolutely hate that, and just like with Travis, I generally tell people not to buy me anything including my parents. They don’t always listen though.
We do not spend very much at Christmas and we may be spending less than ever this year. I like to buy for the kids in the family and for our parents. I personally think society has ruined Christmas but thankfully I don’t have to participate with the same level of madness, not that I haven’t in the past though.
I think Christmas should be more about giving to those who are truly in need, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy watching my kids faces on Christmas morning. We just don’t go into debt or spend every dollar we have to make that happen. 😀
I especially HATE Black Friday!!
I am a witness to what over-spending can do to a person’s finances. My mom would spend on credit, and be stuck with the debt hangover, too. As I entered adulthood, I bucked against that tradition and do not participate in Christmas in the overly commercialized way. In fact, more often than not, no one gets much from me. Lol. However, Christmas is my favorite time of the year! It feels warm and cozy and so full of relaxed vibes in the air. 🙂 I have a 5 yr old and a 22 month old, (and am 1 week away don the birth of son #3 yikes!) , and I have never “lied” to them about Santa, although I do buy them a few presents (why should some fat stranger get all the appreciate?? Mommy bought this stuff with my own hardworking dollars, kids!) So I have never set my kids up to expect a gluttony of toys. Works well for our family, and so, the holidays are never break our bank.
I do love Suzanne’s coupon suggestion. This is something I will do this year!
Ugh…sorry for all the crazy typos! Typing on a small phone should be BANNED! 🙂
@Brad Chaffee I am in full agreement that seeing the kids faces Christmas morning is magical and one that melts my heart. While I try to refrain from overspending, I always enjoy seeing my son enamored with Santa (last Christmas was the last year for Santa for us) So, this year we are working on the “true meaning” and surprisingly enough he is embracing the idea of doing for others.
@Serena Congrats on #3 sounds like you are doing an amazing job witht them and I agree the fat stranger does not deserve all the credit!