Anti-Consumerism for the Holidays

Image by Scott Alan Miller on Flickr

It’s that time of the year again—peppermint mochas, holiday playlists in stores, and festive Christmas trees in public squares. We marvel at the holiday-themed window displays and embrace the merry atmosphere that we know and love.

We also know of the mountains of discarded wrapping paper and stacks of opened Amazon boxes. We know that the additional production and shipping of gifts inevitably spikes carbon emissions and pollutes the environment. Every year we acknowledge that Christmas, like Valentine’s Day or any major celebration, has been co-opted by companies to sell more and promote consumerism. And yet, all is forgotten during the magical whirlwind of Black Friday discounts and holiday shopping. Why is that?

Consumerism, in economics, refers to the belief that individuals’ consumption of goods and services is economically beneficial. It is connected to the promotion of consumption through global marketing and branding as well as shaping the social desirability of acquiring certain goods to signal status. It is also related to materialism, which is the belief that having consumer goods is necessary for happiness and well-being. The advertisements we see on TV and the sponsored influencer content we scroll through are undeniably manifestations of the existing culture of consumerism, which are only magnified during this time of the year.

Overall spending per shopper in the US is expected to increase by 7% to $1,638 (not adjusted for inflation) for the 2024 holiday season, and the trend is reflected in other Western countries with strong Christmas traditions. Proponents of anti-consumerism will lament this development, while those who practice retail therapy will gleefully take advantage of the sales for their annual shopping spree. From their perspective, the holidays are all about happiness—with all the terrible things happening around the world, who can blame them for indulging themselves once a year, even if it means adding a couple tonnes of carbon emissions to the atmosphere?

The reason why consumers are enticed to overspend during the holidays is more social and emotional rather than rational. The social aspect involves the idea that we define our social worth in relation to the perceived worth of others. If everyone you see on Instagram is getting brand-new decor, you may feel pressured to emulate that behaviour, especially if you plan to impress your guests while hosting a social event. On the emotional side, constantly comparing yourself to people who seem to be doing better than you can cause feelings of inadequacy and attempts to address it through excessive consumption. These skewed cognitive processes are at the root of the problem because they often override rational justifications for limiting consumption.

Furthermore, social media amplifies the persuasive power of consumerist messaging by making the norm appear “picture-perfect” and promoting consumption as the only way to attain those sky-high standards. The sponsored influencer messaging and idealized depictions of Christmas celebrations are often subtle and fairly innocent. However, the sheer amount of online content people consume, combined with the increased personalization of suggested content, subconsciously engrains a lingering “fear of missing out” that consumers address by buying things they would not have wanted in the first place. Research also confirms a positive relationship between social media use and negative purchasing habits like impulsive buying.

Holidays like Christmas do inherently have some emphasis on consumption. For most people, elaborate Christmas dinners and gift exchanges are staples that make the holiday what it is, and that is not necessarily a bad thing in itself. There is nothing wrong with getting excited about being gifted the headphones you always wanted or treating yourself to a new jacket for the winter, but we must consider the wider implications of holiday consumerism. The issue lies more in the party decorations that are discarded after one use, the mountainous pile of presents that will likely be returned the day after Christmas, and the matching family pyjama sets that will never be worn again. There is undoubtedly a culture of excess being pushed onto consumers that needs to be challenged, and it can be done so without taking away the magic of the holidays.

Combating the culture of consumerism starts from the individual—after all, individuals are the ones going to malls and buying the goods. We must challenge the narrative of being dependent on objects for happiness, or we will face disappointment when our purchases fail to meet the expectations promised by influencers and their smiling families. It pays to be skeptical and aware of marketing tactics aiming to provoke feelings of inadequacy, which can take the form of terms like “must-have” or encouragements to “upgrade” one’s lifestyle. Phrases like “Here’s what dress to buy if you want to be ‘that girl’ at the Christmas party” are another example of targeting concerns about social status, often packaged as well-meaning advice from influencers who just want to help their followers (but only after they use their discount code, of course).

Another consumerist narrative to address is the idea that the brand-new is inherently better than the old. The popularity of unboxing videos indicates a big consumer appetite for the dopamine rush that comes with a new purchase, especially for luxury goods unaffordable to most. Instead of impulse buying a new and expensive pair of Bluetooth headphones, it is worth considering whether you really need it or whether you were just influenced by the captivating advertisement you saw earlier. Contrary to what companies try to convince you of, it is perfectly fine and even environmentally-friendly to keep using old decorations, appliances, and clothing throughout the years.

It is far too easy to get wrapped up in the consumerist clamour of the holiday shopping season and end up overspending on things you never planned to get. And while environment-based arguments can dissuade some people from doing a Christmas haul, the real cause to address stems from the definition of happiness we choose for ourselves as a society. Yes, the holidays are about happiness, but that should come from spending time with family and friends and celebrating community, not solely from a new TV.

The winter holidays take up only one month of the year, but challenging consumerism is a year-round undertaking. Through buying less and reconsidering purchasing mentalities, we can make the purchases that do happen count more for our well-being.