cosmic

This Zen Habits post nicely reiterates many of my previously-mentioned thoughts about xmas presents. I particularly like the “What about the kids?” bit, which I struggle with rather often these days, and the response expresses exactly why holiday gift giving where children are involved makes me feel a bit dirty:

They are being taught to shop, and to value material goods over anything else. Imagine their lives when they’re grown — a life of shopping and debt and waste, because that’s what’s important, right? So for the joy of opening a few presents for a couple hours on Christmas day, we’re imparting on them consumerist values that will last them a lifetime.

So that, in summary, is why I push back and will continue to push back against the cycle of Christmas Lists and present buying in this particular household.  I will retain my yearslong ironclad ban on wrapping paper, insisting on newsprint or other recycled wrapping only.  Other bits of the holidays will be embraced: We will have a beautiful tree, and some special surprise treats that I am concocting via an international cartel, and we’ll go out for a very swank Christmas lunch. But I want the presents to be downplayed.  Instead, we’ll have popcorn and a Harry Potter marathon, because surely what really matters is enjoying each other’s company. I believe it should be about the experience, not the substance.

It’s a work in progress but I am so glad to know that I am not the only crazy person in the world.  When I took that photo of the shoppers on Regent Street above, I was accompanied by Mr Man and the boys, and thank goodness, we really weren’t there to do any shopping. We must have been the only ones!