Right now I find
myself already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I thoroughly enjoy celebrating the
holidays. I absolutely love, and always
have, the planning and preparing. What I
do not enjoy is the monstrous commercialism that has evolved over my
lifetime. The constant frenzy to grab my
hard earned money, lots of it, in trade for crap we don’t need or even
want. I find it completely takes over
and overshadows the true reason we celebrate in the first place. My response is to turn a blind eye, avoid as
much as possible and not give in and participate in their shenanigans. I have no tolerance for it.
I just heard
that the average American spends $175 a year on Valentine’s Day. Why?
And that Easter has now become a mini Christmas with lots of gifts
given. What happened to the Easter
basket and a simple egg hunt? I don’t
understand this and I’m certainly not playing along. It seems way over the top to me. Why do you need a new cell phone or another
expensive piece of electronic equipment for Easter? Or, God forbid, a new car? That’s really a thing?!
As in years past
all of my holiday celebrations this year are just that. We are celebrating the holiday, not going on
a shopping excursion. There will be no
debt incurred or crazy purchases that do not make sense.
Mother’s Day
will likely be the usual affair. I will
cook, there will be a dessert and gifts will be cards and some flowers to plant
in the yard. Father’s Day usually includes
the BBQ. I imagine my birthday won’t be
much different. Thanksgiving, of course,
is all about the food. Christmas too! I love to give and receive small useful
gifts. It is simple, easy and stress
free as it should be.
My children have
made me some of the most beautiful greeting cards and handmade gifts since they
were old enough to hold a crayon or use scissors and I welcome those still to
this day. I love to make things to give
to others as well. So as far as I’m
concerned, companies can keep their millions upon millions of dollars spent on
advertising as it has no affect on me.
I’m not buying it. Are you?
Years ago my kids asked when they could write their letters to the Easter bunny, and it occurred to me that I had turned Easter into Christmas. Easter went back to a basket that year, and every year to follow lol. My dd has a friend shopping for Easter now-for her 8 month old. When she’s finished she will have spent over $1000 on toys and crap that baby doesn’t need. Pure insanity!!
ReplyDeleteDiane
I think the advertising affects us more than we'd like to admit. I just can't imagine spending that kind of $$ on Easter. Goodness!
DeleteThe best gifts I have ever gotten were hand made by my kids, friends, or extended family. The crass commercialism of every. single. aspect. of the holidays really zaps my holiday spirit. You cannot escape it, but you can carefully pick and choose what to participate in to save your sanity! My goal moving forward is to make whatever holiday we are in more peaceful, less stressful. I'm sure that Easter and Mother's Day will be very quiet days for me as I will be at work. (:
ReplyDeleteExactly! Advertising has the opposite effect on me than what retailers are intending. Ha, ha. :o)
DeleteI'm with you on that view!
ReplyDeleteIn our family if the holiday has a religious aspect we focus on that first. The other stuff follows. I find each year I buy less and less for these events. There's no bump in my monthly charge bill! I usually put together gift baskets or give handmade or thrifted items.
Easter has always been a basket and a few treats (like a coloring book or maybe something religious like a book about Jesus). I used to worry $20 for 4 kids was too much! Lol I can't imagine 100s of dollars!
I like your way of thinking Margaret. :o)
DeletePeople are so into consumerism, materialism. I am kind of anxious to see how everyone does during this recession. Maybe and only maybe it will pull people back and and make them appreciate the simple things in life
ReplyDeleteWhen you cant afford things you make do or do without
Beth - Pennsylvania
I had hoped that during the Covid lockdown, but seems people went right back to it
DeleteI had hoped for the same and that we'd learn a lesson from that time.
Delete