This piece explores the author's decision to forgo traditional Christmas gift-giving in favor of a more mindful and simplified approach. It touches on themes of societal expectations, the pressure to spend, and the true meaning of gift-giving.
The base of the Christmas tree looks a bit depleted in an empty nest. A white envelope. A couple of token efforts. Something from someone, but not for us. There’s a temptation to wrap up some empty boxes, like a shop window, for appearances’ sake. When do you outgrow Christmas presents? We decided that this year it’s us. There’s no lack of love, and there will be parties and lunches.
There’s just a recognition that you don’t have to obey social conditioning, especially when you’ve reached an age when Christmas seems to come around every six months. And in December, when you’re exhausted by everything, you can go easy and not load each other up with some week-long search-and-buy mission.But it’s the thought that counts! I remember my grandmother replying, “Well, here’s a nice thought for you.” (She was tricking; she then gave us a present.) Thing is, the thought that counts can hit you at any time of year. In October, I thought of something my brother would like, and got it for him. Only, I had to wait until Christmas to give it to him because then it would save me from trying to have another thought and possibly drawing a blank, leading to stress, anxiety, a panic purchase and an apology: “But remember what I got you in October?”, in increase of $1.6 billion on last year. We have a strange way of expressing our cost-of-living crisis. Spend our way out of it? A treat to make up for a year of scrimping?in the country for a year, the entirety of the federal environment, energy, water and climate change departments, with more than enough left over to run theThis idea was vetoed by one family member, who, without giving too much away, was my mum. Mum also opposed a Kris Kringle arrangement, which the in-laws do. Mum is still wedded to the joy of gift-giving, and I get that
CHRISTMAS GIFTS CONSUMERISM FAMILY TRADITIONS
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