Here’s an excellent read from Kendal Perez, writing for U.S. News, about the importance of scaling back on gift giving and spending more quality time together during the holidays.
One of the busiest shopping holidays is nearly upon us, with near-constant speculation about who has the best deals on this year’s hottest gifts. Witnessing this spectacle can zap the holiday spirit from even the most festive person.
“To me, the meaning of the holidays is to be thankful for what we have and be close to family,” says Dan Nainan, a former Intel engineer and current comedian and actor in New York City. One year, Nainan and his family decided not to buy gifts for one another. “It reduced so much stress,” he says, and since then he hasn’t purchased anything for anyone.
This response to the holiday season may seem extreme to some, but to those leaning toward a more minimalistic lifestyle, it offers a deep sigh of relief during a season where stress and anxiety can be suffocating. Minimalism represents a budding movement that, while meaning different things to different people, often results in fewer possessions and more time to focus on what the individual deems most important. While some embrace Nainan’s approach of opting out of gift exchanges altogether, others choose instead to take a more mindful approach to holiday spending.
Cait Flanders, blogger at BlondeOnABudget.ca, has been exploring minimalism over the past several years, whittling down her possessions and even launching a budgeting planner influenced by the lifestyle, called Mindful Budgeting. When it comes to the holidays, Flanders says she loves giving gifts but wants to be sure the product will be used and valued before purchasing. “I’ll typically buy my niece and nephew books, games or puzzles we can do together,” she says. “Or I’ll ask their mom what they actually need and get them that.”
“Last year was the first year my whole family embraced a minimalist Christmas,” Flanders says. “We woke up, cooked a big breakfast together, then spent a couple hours at the beach with our dogs.” Flanders acknowledges this as a big departure from previous years, when it was all about spending money on stuff and unwrapping presents. “It was so refreshing to not have our day focused around gifts, and instead just spend time together.”
Philanthropic gifting can serve as a gateway to help family and friends understand minimalism, especially during the holiday season. Ramon Khan, blogger at LiveSimplyNatural.com, pleaded with his family to stop buying him gifts. “It was hard for them to break the tradition,” he says, “but then I got the idea of giving our dedicated gift funds to families in need.” Khan says this idea was key to getting his family to quit buying unnecessary items for each other and use their money toward a greater cause.
