Discussions
The Giving of Christmas Presents, Should We Abolish it?
Posted by filosofia • 12/15/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: buying, christmas, earth, gifts, presents
The buying of gifts at Christmas is a huge industry, but isn't it rather wasteful of the earth's resources?
What do you think?
User Comments
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Yessssss
Amen to that !!! enough of useless trash !!!!
leave it to the kids under 10 .... and things useable and creative like a paint set to create art ...
Happy Season to all -
Yes, let's do away with Christmas entirely. Let's just keep the hos. -
Although it's been commercialized, the practice of giving shouldn't be abolished. That would really send the wrong message, don't you think?
I think that the practice of giving and bragging about giving the most expensive hard to get coolest gift o the planet should be abolished. And just give things that are meaningful.-
Anok said it and did a damn fine job of it, too! Well done You!
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I think the practice of giving something when someone hasn't earned it should be abolished entirely.
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Yes, I know - you think generosity is horrid. The kindness practiced by millions of people world wide, and the happiness and joy it brings must really piss you off.
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giving is different from earning and the world needs both.
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I second that motion, giving is good, children should be learning about generosity, kindness and even charity -
Giving is good, commercialism is bad! give from the heart not from the mall -
Well it's lovely to find so many are in agreement over this. How do we go about abolishing it then?
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Just put your money back in your wallet
I have taken advantage of my natural surroundings and ability to create one of a kind items tailored for the important individuals in my life.
For example, this year I will be making wonderful jewelry out of the sea shells and and things I've collected all year, I will be doing some portraits for others, as well as using natural products to create bath salts and potpourri or incense.
For my kid though, I am still buying some gifts, but this year I will be focusing on buying gently used gifts, and focusing on freecycling to help alleviate the trash problem, all while giving money to worthy causes. In this way, Punky gets some toys, but without straining the planet, our budget, and contributing to programs that help others. -
Crucify Santa.
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By setting an example, just as Anok is doing. Many of the gifts I have bought (local stores in the village-no malls for moi) or made are not without thought and care, nor do I expect pressies for the sake of a present.
As for commercialism of the holidays, that is a complaint that was made by the elders even during the days of Saturnalia in Rome.
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So I guess it's only Veracorreia, myself and Filosofia who want to stop buying and giving Christmas presents then. Guess that means we'll go through all of this again next year.
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No, my mum and sis are not giving and buying this year.
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Who said anything about not giving anything this year?
There are plenty of ways to give without getting bogged down in commercialization.
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What about this idea? I assume you all traditionally send Christmas cards in America?
OK, instead of buying charity xmas cards, why not just give all the money you would spend on cards and stamps directly to the charity, and just send everyone a festive email? That way, the charity gets more money, and the forest doesn't get cut down.-
Or buy cards from charity orgs such as Unicef Card. That way a person can send a card, support the post office service AND support a charity.
www.unicefusa.org/shop/ -
I don't send Christmas cards, but making a donation to a person's favorite charity for them is a great idea!
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You can't abolish Xmas presents!!! I'm getting the dvd of Brokeback mountain for Xmas.
I can't wait because I'm a big fan of westerns, I like the rugged manliness of them.
Someone told me Brokeback was one of the most rugged cowboy films they had ever seen and included some great bareback riding scenes, can't wait!-
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ooooh, you are just gonna luv it!
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Sure I agree, lets do away with Xmas, this way people won't be committing suicide all because they can't afford to buy a damn present for a loved one. And people on welfare won't spend their whole check on presents then cry about not having any money to pay their bills and want others to bail them out. and little Tommy & Suzie won't cry because they didn't get anything for Xmas, cuz there won't be any Xmas's to try over. so yea, Xmas be gone!
www.skepticalbeliefs.com -
I find the title of this thread odd and it made me laugh when I first read it. I thought: "Who is this "we" who can enforce the abolition of gift giving?"
The abolition of generosity ... lol Then I read the responses. No, what is developing here is aimed at the abolition of seasonal obligatory giving, at the most commercialized time of the year, and that makes sense to me.
In our family many years ago we discontinued gift giving to adults. Also the amount of gifting that was directed to children was reduced and shifted into education plans. We enjoy feasting and visiting.We send out UNICEF cards and that's about it.
Like Anok I make small interesting novelty type things and food gifts too for my friends throughout the year. Sometimes I find interesting small things that I purchase as well. However, I'm not part of the consumer driven movement that has commercialized every holiday of the year, and over-ridden their meaning and their enjoyment for many of us. -
I believe this is something that needs to be determined on an individual basis.
Personally, I love giving gifts to the folks I care about, and seeing the happiness that a little thoughtfulness can bring. So I don't find it burdensome or frivolous at all. It see it as a tangible metaphor for appreciation.-
@thriftshopromantic
I'm not good at hiding my emotions and by the time I was 12 years old I hated receiving gifts. This was because most of the gifts I had ever received I really didn't care for and would rather have not got. Of course, I had to fake surprise and pleasure and that became a real emotional burden.
Not every gift I got was boring or ill suited. Some were art gifts like papers, canvas, brushes, oil pastels, and other things I could use to be creative with. These were the only things I really thought were special. So why the heck did I have to wait until Christmas or my birthday to get them? I didn't ever click into these "dates" that everyone thought were magic. I gave and received small gifts from friends and relatives throughout the year that were cool. There were no special "dates" attached. there was no "hype".
Christmas mornings I would rise early and escape outdoors so I didn't have to go through the gift opening hype. I would not open my gifts until I was badgered into it and inevitably when I did I would find I had received something that I wanted to immediately pawn off on my cousin.
I hated seeing the look of anticipation of the face of the family member, who gave me something and who thought I would love it. I particularly hated knowing that the gift was "expensive" and should be well received.
Luckily my partner was my best friend first and he knew how I felt so the abolishing gift giving between us was easily done. There was no drama, we simply agreed that we could each buy ourselves what we really wanted, when we wanted it or could afford it, instead of accepting something we didn't like and pretending we did so we didn't hurt anyone's feelings. -
I've been on the receiving end of those sorts of things myself, so I understand.
In terms of the concerns mentioned by a poster above about wasted resources, I've ended up thrifting a number of gifts, so the items are unique, inexpensive, and helps reuse. -
@thriftshopromantic
I like the second hand gifts I receive and I like finding them for gifting my friends with too. They don't have any attachment to "special dates". I'm a second hand shopper too so when I spot something I know someone I care about has in mind I snap it up and give it to them right away. -
For me it depends on what the item is and when I give it-- sometimes I can't wait and share it immediately, and sometimes I hoard them for birthdays and Christmas.
I put together a HUGE bunch of thrifted milk glass for a lady who collects it and wished she had some other pieces in her collection.
She was so excited! -
I also agree with the idea of giving with the intent of letting the person know that you think about them or appreciate them throughout the year - when you walk by something and think "Hey, so-and-so would just love this!"
For holidays, like Christmas (or Yule, which is what I celebrate) giving does have an added "specialness" to it - as it's not just thoughtfulness, but also well wishes during a specific rite or ritual. It says, "I think about you AND I want you and yours to have a happy healthy < insert special occasion here >. For pagans, that extra special something is the return of the warm sun, to bring bounty and happiness to your home on the shortest day of the year, and the beginning of the hardest season of the year - winter.
Everyone can use good luck, and a little extra bounty during the time of year when nature is not bountiful and giving in and of itself.
Sharing items like food has a very special importance, because it symbolizes the desire to share sustenance and encourage survival, because you care.
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Just think of how much money we could of saved if we didn't participate in this crud.
Of course you wouldn't get any of this either...their reactions ...priceless.
www.metacafe.com/watch/56178/christmas_gifts/-
Personally I never liked the gifts that were given to me, they never suited me,
except one that was later stolen by someone in my own family.
Of course I tried to be gracious and not let on that I didn't appreciate the gifts
but deep inside I wanted to yell out "You cheap bastards, I asked for a Pony" -
Like one Christmas I remember receiving a battery charger from my Mother, I mean come on.
To top it all off the batteries were the wrong size for my stuff lizard toys.
What's even worst is I receive my Christmas & Birthday present on the same friggin day.
One gift combined. Cheap bastards, should take that Christmas tree and drop kick it to hell.
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I agree with timethief, it is the obligatory gift giving and commercialization that is the problem,not the giving and receiving itself.
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In that case, I'll gladly receive without any obligation.
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I try to make blog to collect the Christmas and new year presents.
this is my blog
new-year-greeting.blogspot.com/
I want to make it more traffic how to get more ? -
I love the whole present thing at Christmas even if it is useless it's still fun to unwrap it and find out what it is.
And without presents it's just doesn't feel like Christmas. -
I think the idea of giving is great.
I try to put thought and love into every gift I give to someone and I never buy a gift just because I feel like I have too, that's when bad gifts happen. -
Christmas has nothing to do with giving. I'd rather abolish the "holiday" than the act of giving. You don't need a calendar to tell you when to give someone you love a gift.-
You *do* need the calendar to tell you to take the day off and spend it with your family, though.
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I don't think we should abolish it, but I do think we should encourage one another to consume less and give when it comes naturally... not necessarily at xmas. -
I would love to make gift-giving intentionally private, even secret, if that were possible.
In our nuclear family, we would rather give one meaningful present than seventeen pieces of plastic nothing. So, if the proposition were to pare down and give a meaningful gift or just one gift, I would whole-heartedly support that.
For me, it gets down to the why. Why are you giving something? If it's an expression of love and generosity, that is wonderful. It is also something you won't mind sharing. We make it our practice not to return presents. We donate them if they are something we can't use.
If, on the other hand, you are giving because you want recognition or emotional payback, thanks but no thanks. I don't think that's the point. -
Presents are about people and people are the most important part of earth. Those resources only make sense if the serve the people. And yes relationships are not about money (and I am facing my most money deprived yet happiest Christmas in my life) but how can you explain that to a kid whose eyes light up in wonder while unwrapping that present. If it is so easy to make someone happy I would certainly do it. -
I propose national kick politicians in the gonads day. If they behaved, they don't get any kicks. If they misbehaved, they stand in a stadium and the entire populace kicks them between the legs. It's the gift that keeps on giving.
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No. I want my presents-
A plush red panda?
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no bamboo and fruit salad, come deliver. Don't forget the card either
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hee hee guess what I am giving flamingpoodle, hint, it has charlton heston in it.
I think you should get hand fed bamboo and fruit salad by a lovely maiden. -
Yes, I mean obviously it needs a card. Nothing too fancy, I mean I'm not one of those who commercialise Christmas. I'll engrave something platinum by hand.
And if lovely maidens hand fed me bamboo and fruit salad, they won't be maidens much longer. On the other hand, Charlton Heston's virtue is secure.
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I don't think it should be abolish. If you don't want to waste earth's resources, then don't buy gifts, or don't accept it. Very simple.-
What if you gave someone a green car for Christmas? Are you wasting resources and commercialising Christmas?
I don't think it should be abolished either. I also don't have a problem with commercialisation.
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Is it true what they say, that we now give presents because the Three Wise Men gave gold, frankincense, and myrrh?
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