The smell of nutmeg and cinnamon, the sound of happy chatter and the warmth of your family was what once described Christmas. Recently, the meaning has begun to blur with flash sales, endless lists and shipping deadlines. Christmas has always been about preserving traditions and strengthening family bonds whilst showing your gratitude to those who carry you throughout the years, but in many homes gift culture erased all of this.
Gifts were once a symbol of care however, recently the holiday season feels like a competition of price tags. Advertising convinces us that Christmas must be purchased, making us feel like friendships are measured in dollars. The holidays are no longer filled with holiday cheer. Instead there is anxiety and sadness especially with all of the financial uncertainty that many people are facing.
Many people have noticed this and have therefore adopted a different way of celebrating Christmas together. In The Guardian article, “My family Christmas has gotten a lot better since we stopped giving presents,” by Nell Frizzell she states, “My mother, my sister, my father, my partner and my child: none of us get each other Christmas presents. …. We may not buy things, wrap things, put things under a tree or push anything but a hairy toe into a stocking on Christmas Eve … Instead we bestow upon each other the treats of time, saving money, the weekends in the run-up to Christmas at home.”
Spending time together as a family in unity is important. People become consumed with the amount they spend changing the holiday from a time of good will and thanks to emotionless materialism.
According to Yahoo Finance, “…. browsing time and spending are likely to rise as consumers shop for seasonal upgrades (ie. clothes, home decor, etc.) and holiday gifting,” says Janelle Sallenave, …. “Companies and influencers tell us to buy this gift or that decoration to impress our friends, get a great deal or have the best-decorated yard on the block,” said Sallenave.
When people stop fixating on shopping, they make room for what creates connection. Instead of focusing on shopping, people can save strained relationships in their home, explore the outdoors, bake together, sing together or simply enjoy each other’s presence. Too often social media influences people with a fake picture of happiness. Filling their feeds with matching pajamas, extravagant decor and luxury halls to convince us that celebration should be expensive rather than meaningful.
The heart of Christmas can not be wrapped or shipped from some factory; it lives in the moments we share.
