With Christmas just around the corner I thought you may get some value out of this article by The Minimalists. Although it refers to US statistics I'm sure we wouldn't be too much different here in Australia.
"According to CNBC, 28% of shoppers are still in debt from last year’s Christmas shopping. Nonetheless, the average shopper plans on spending $776 on gifts this holiday season—a nearly 50% increase from just four years ago.
What the hell is wrong with us? We’re spending money we don’t have to buy gifts we don’t need for people who don’t want them.
With the “help” of retailers creating a false sense of urgency, we’ve whipped ourselves into a frenzy. So, instead of pausing to ponder our impulses, we double down—we lean into the tug of consumerism, attempting to commodify love one purchase at a time.
Over time, we’ve turned “the most wonderful time of the year” into the most stressful time of year. But if we’re stressed out, perhaps we’re celebrating the holidays incorrectly.
Of course, we needn’t Grinch our Christmases to save our bank accounts and our sanity. It is possible to spend less money and still enjoy a more meaningful holiday season.
Gift Experiences
To start, we can gift experiences instead of stuff. We asked our friends and family for some of their favorite free or inexpensive adventures:
Sunsets.
Theater.
Beaches.
Concerts.
Festivals.
Massages.
Museums.
Art walks.
Road trips.
Babysitting.
Yoga classes.
Rock climbing.
Holiday lights.
Sporting events.
Meditation retreat.
Christmas-tree hunting.
Gift Consumables
If gifting a physical gift is required, thoughtful consumables are a welcome alternative to material trinkets:
Books.
Wine.
Coffee.
Chocolate.
Craft beer.
Essential oils.
Artisanal cheese.
Home-cooked meals.
Anything homemade."
I hope that this may have given you a few ideas and I definitely recommend the Minimalists Weekly free podcasts covering all kinds of topics and how we can create a more meaningful life.