While shopping online can relieve you of having to get up from a comfy space and give you more immediate options, nothing will beat the feeling of going in-person just to find the perfectly fit piece of clothing that is ready to be plucked off the shelf. More and more people shop with the tap of their finger, unknowingly tapping away the true Christmas spirit that was once built on connection and not convenience.
Ever since the rise of technology, more and more people are joining the internet. Internet access is nearly universal now, and so is online shopping: more than 76% of holiday shoppers buy their gifts online, according to the National Retail Federation. As a result, the very convenient action of online shopping has integrated itself into the lives of many. Even though shopping online can be satisfying, playing a guessing game of sizes will undoubtedly cause stress and unwanted trips to stores to place returns.
Not only this, but with purchases being at the tap of your fingertips, it is very easy to be sucked into the very same consumerism that is destroying the true Christmas spirit. By depending on gift-giving, a bigger narrative is being pushed where love equals the amount of money that is spent. Social media is also a big factor pushing a “perfect holiday” stress onto families, fueling comparison and creating pressure to perform rather than make true bonds with family.
That precious time that could be spent on meaningful activities with your family such as admiring twinkling lights, building and decorating gingerbread houses, or snuggling up together to watch your favorite Christmas movie on the couch. Instead, families take it upon themselves to take up more hours because when social media influencers are getting materialistic items, who will appreciate a simple gift? When self-worth and love is tied to price tags, true qualities in families such as trust and compassion that are all essential for bonding, become harder to achieve. Instead, time is spent buying far too many cups that one should have and supplying more waste into the world that will have daring effects later on the planet. Think: Did you really need the newest iPhone or your Stanley switched out for an Owala? The overall result is unnecessary clutter and alarming waste.
To be able to deter ourselves from consumerism and reclaim our nostalgic Christmas spirit, we must not listen to social media narratives pushing a perfect Christmas holiday decorated with big trees and dozens of gifts. These are unrealistic standards for an average family and Christmas should be way less about gift-giving and about spending time with our families. The joy of giving love and time is enough, and while gift-giving is something that many of us love, there is so much more to Christmas than many will ever realize. We must shift our focus from consumerism and turn it into something that spreads throughout our community. Maybe this year, we can remember what the Grinch finally understood: Christmas “means a little bit more.” A lot more, if we choose it to.
