I have always found it strange that one of the pivotal holy days of a religion that promotes denial of self, charity and universal hope has come to take on such a profoundly materialistic character.
People have always given gifts and shopped at market during Advent, the time leading up to Christmas, but it is strange that what was once a fairly innocuous practice of giving small gifts and gathering together the family to eat a large meal has become such an enormous part of the American economy.
According to CNBC, Christmas retail sales surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in 2018, and this year is set to be no different.
The bump in retail spending that has coincided with Christmas since at least the 1950s has become a reliable and ever-increasing spike in the consumer economy that American industry waits all year for like an addict waiting patiently for their yearly high. Or should I say impatiently, given the lengthening of the holiday season as far as corporations can possibly take it without infuriating their customers?
I contend, however, that even if it isn’t better for the U.S. economy, scaling back holiday consumerism would carry benefits for the environment, for public religion, for relationships with family and friends and for peoples’ sanity.
When thinking about the environmental impact of Christmas shopping, there are a few things to consider. First is the food waste generated by millions of families cooking meals with oversized portions over the Christmas season.
Second, there is the waste in plastic and paper generated from presents, wrappings, containers, Christmas cards and ribbons which, according to estimates by Stanford University, account for 25 million extra tons of garbage.
Thirdly, there is the increased fuel consumption related to having gifts packaged and shipped from all over the world, especially as e-commerce becomes increasingly the way most people shop for the holidays.
Dialing back the culture of capitalism surrounding Christmas would also aid tensions between Christians and the increasingly secularizing wider American society. Many Christians feel as though their religious freedoms are under attack and, to add insult to injury, the wider society seems to co-opt their holy day by making it into a celebration of values antithetical to the Christian religion such as unfettered consumption. Helping to keep their observances more distinct from the secular customs would help promote goodwill between Christians and secular Americans and Americans of other faiths.
Taking steps to curb Christmas consumerism would also relieve strain on relationships around the holiday season. Agonizing over what gifts to buy and for who as well as who will be giving in return is only made worse by the temptation to buy nicer and more expensive objects. Removing the expectation of store-bought gifts or money would remove that pressure around the Christmas tree.
Finally, ending a culture of consumerist excess is better for everyone’s mental health. Human beings were not made for the market, it is rather the opposite: the market was made to satisfy human needs. People don’t need plastic junk from China every year, they need more time to genuinely rest and be with their friends, family and loved ones.
These and other reasons are why we should seriously reexamine our society’s approach to the celebration of Christmas.
Photo Credit / Wikimedia Commons
