Decommercialize the Holidays

The last gift is unwrapped and the candles put away. If yours is like many families, what’s left is a pile of credit card bills and a nagging feeling that the real meaning of the season isn’t something you can buy.

But it is something you can own.

“The holidays are defining moments. This is where you walk your values,” says Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network family practice physician Will Miller, M.D.

There are plenty of alternatives to the heavy-spending holiday hype. All it takes is advance communication and a willingness to rearrange your priorities and try something new.

Explore your cultural, religious and family traditions. Choose the ones you want included in your holiday celebrations, Miller says, “or find other ways to share your love and joy with the people who matter most.” A few ideas to get you started:

Simplify. Have each family member draw one name for exchanging a single gift or ornament. Set a modest price limit—or better yet, encourage homemade gifts or personal services like babysitting, mowing the lawn or cooking a meal.

Share. Invite family members to bring a dish for a holiday meal. Afterward, share family photos and stories or call a friend or relative who lives far away.

Give to those less fortunate. Volunteer at a food bank or homeless shelter. Visit someone who’s homebound or in a nursing home. Instead of giving to each other, have family members chip in to a favorite charity (or pick a name from a local organization’s charity “tree”).

Recycle. Take the covers off holiday cards and use them for next year’s decorating. “Gently used” gift wrap and ribbon also can come in handy next season.
Explore other faiths. Attend a service in another language or religion.

Donate blood. It’s literally the gift of life.
Plan a family craft night. Find easy holiday crafts for the whole family to make (check the library or Internet for ideas). Homemade popcorn and hot apple cider make the activity extra-special.

Shop with a conscience. If you choose to buy gifts or clothing, buy from an alternative gift market supporting projects in developing countries. (For information on organizing such a market, visit www.altgifts.org.)

Make time for togetherness. Instead of a trip to the mall, go for a walk in the woods, watch a favorite holiday movie, make popcorn and cranberry strands for the birds, or bake cookies together.

Start a blessings basket. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, have each family member write down something he or she is grateful for. Read and reflect on them together.