The Christmas season is over for another year, and I managed to get through it without sending any cards, and the only gift I bought was for the RSPCA's wishing tree. I was particularly penniless this year, saving any spare funds I may have for ongoing physio and pilates, but it's not the only reason I opted out of participating in the festive season.
To me, Christmas is a Christian celebration, albeit overlaid/confused somewhat with the Pagan Winter Solstice festival. I am not a practicing Christian, although I do appreciate the nativity story, and the carols and all that stuff. It's also a great time of year for people to make time to get together and catch up with each other.
Of course, in Australia, the Winter Solstice elements make no sense, so therefore neither do many of the “traditional” Christmas trappings. An Australian Christmas shows up the overlay between the two quite clearly. However that isn't why I don't always send cards or give presents.
My complaint is that this festive season has been hijacked by the retail giants as a time of enforced spending. I feel an enormous pressure to buy gifts for people, and not just for my close friends and my family, but for everyone I know - and perhaps even for people that I don't know. And it doesn't seem to matter what is bought, as long as there is a gift to be given. It doesn't matter that the gift might be immediately discarded, or re-gifted, or be otherwise useless (which offends my Green sensibilities). Nothing much matters other than that we BUY stuff.
I see the enormous pressure for parents to shower their children in gifts, no matter whether their budget can afford it, and every year there are stories on the news about how much is being spent, and how much debt people are getting into during this time.One gift is no longer enough; it must be multiple presents.
I really dislike the crush of shoppers in the run-up to Christmas. I get particularly irritated by the extra boxes and piles of stock that get put out, making wheelchair access difficult, if not impossible. I got annoyed that Coles removed all the chicken wings, in order to make more space for the prawns!!!
I know that I'm fortunate that my family doesn't have any particular expectations from me regarding receiving cards or gifts, and so I am not going to upset or offend anyone by not sending or giving any; there is no pressure from them. I hope this is also true of my friends and acquaintances, who might have had other expectations, especially as I did receive cards and gifts from several of my friends - which I received with pleasure and enjoyment.
Of course I don't object to receiving gifts - how could I?! - but I want to receive gifts in the same way that I give them: voluntarily. I give gifts to people because I find something that I think they will like, or because I wanted to make them something. I generally give gifts on birthdays, or for special events like weddings, births, housewarmings, because they are personal and meaningful. There are still times that I can't afford much, but I try to mark these occasions with at least a card.
Perhaps it would be different if I had more money. Certainly, I have sent cards and gifts to family in previous years, and willingly, when I have been better off financially, but I'd give them gifts even if there was no such thing as Christmas.... However, I think that nowadays I would still be rather circumspect about the whole deal. The pressure, the waste, the pointlessness of much of it bothers me. How is any of that part of “Christmas spirit”?
I think I will stick to my personal policy of recognising birthdays and special events. With one exception. For Christmas 2010 my aim is send one gift to my family: me.
To me, Christmas is a Christian celebration, albeit overlaid/confused somewhat with the Pagan Winter Solstice festival. I am not a practicing Christian, although I do appreciate the nativity story, and the carols and all that stuff. It's also a great time of year for people to make time to get together and catch up with each other.
Of course, in Australia, the Winter Solstice elements make no sense, so therefore neither do many of the “traditional” Christmas trappings. An Australian Christmas shows up the overlay between the two quite clearly. However that isn't why I don't always send cards or give presents.
My complaint is that this festive season has been hijacked by the retail giants as a time of enforced spending. I feel an enormous pressure to buy gifts for people, and not just for my close friends and my family, but for everyone I know - and perhaps even for people that I don't know. And it doesn't seem to matter what is bought, as long as there is a gift to be given. It doesn't matter that the gift might be immediately discarded, or re-gifted, or be otherwise useless (which offends my Green sensibilities). Nothing much matters other than that we BUY stuff.
I see the enormous pressure for parents to shower their children in gifts, no matter whether their budget can afford it, and every year there are stories on the news about how much is being spent, and how much debt people are getting into during this time.One gift is no longer enough; it must be multiple presents.
I really dislike the crush of shoppers in the run-up to Christmas. I get particularly irritated by the extra boxes and piles of stock that get put out, making wheelchair access difficult, if not impossible. I got annoyed that Coles removed all the chicken wings, in order to make more space for the prawns!!!
I know that I'm fortunate that my family doesn't have any particular expectations from me regarding receiving cards or gifts, and so I am not going to upset or offend anyone by not sending or giving any; there is no pressure from them. I hope this is also true of my friends and acquaintances, who might have had other expectations, especially as I did receive cards and gifts from several of my friends - which I received with pleasure and enjoyment.
Of course I don't object to receiving gifts - how could I?! - but I want to receive gifts in the same way that I give them: voluntarily. I give gifts to people because I find something that I think they will like, or because I wanted to make them something. I generally give gifts on birthdays, or for special events like weddings, births, housewarmings, because they are personal and meaningful. There are still times that I can't afford much, but I try to mark these occasions with at least a card.
Perhaps it would be different if I had more money. Certainly, I have sent cards and gifts to family in previous years, and willingly, when I have been better off financially, but I'd give them gifts even if there was no such thing as Christmas.... However, I think that nowadays I would still be rather circumspect about the whole deal. The pressure, the waste, the pointlessness of much of it bothers me. How is any of that part of “Christmas spirit”?
I think I will stick to my personal policy of recognising birthdays and special events. With one exception. For Christmas 2010 my aim is send one gift to my family: me.
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