give: shop less, give more this holiday season
The gift of love is the greatest gift to give this holiday season and requires no shopping!
We all like new stuff. We all like shiny new stuff. We all like shiny new stuff wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper. I understand. I get it. It’s fun to unwrap a gift and see something you’ve wanted for awhile in your fingertips thanks to someone else. I was a kid at one point so I totally get it. I also get the whole attraction to shop, shop and shop some more to give really great gifts to those you love this holiday season.
However, I think it’s fair enough for me to suggest that we take a step back and see what we are really giving into when we consume excessively. Perhaps, you need an example to get where I am going. Watch below.
Now, some may say that this is an extreme example but is it really? The premise of this holiday season is to give but somehow, this has been skewed to getting great deals. There is nothing wrong with giving a gift but there seems to be much emphasis on GETTING the gift versus GIVING the gift.
By the way, who says that a gift has to come from a store to be special? Who says a gift has to be the latest gadget, toy, product to be special? What about a gift from the heart that can be completely free? What about a gift that has no matter, just a feeling, an energy like enjoying a board game with your family or giving someone a hug or taking the time to listen to one of your closest friends? What about helping those less fortunate and giving your time to a worthy cause? These are all great gifts that require little to no money yet most of us, at least in America, seem to be consumed with consumerism to even give those gift ideas any thought.
However, I challenge all of us to shop less and give more this holiday season. Perhaps, we can get a few less items and donate the rest of the money to charity or we can limit the amount of gifts per person and ask everyone to create one homemade gift from the heart or we can completely save our money and use it to plan a future trip with our loved ones that will be an experience of a lifetime versus a thing of a few years. There are so many other choices besides the one that is forced upon us by society. Let’s get more creative and see what ways we can harken back to the original purpose of this holiday–to give and to love.
8 Responses to “give: shop less, give more this holiday season”
You are right on the money. It seems every year these videos become more and more abundant. Plus with the fact that stores are now open on Thanksgiving. The whole idea of the Holiday becomes lost while people stand in lines for hours waiting to get the “best deal.” I know I am cutting back on gifts this year and just looking forward to spending a wonderful season with my family. Great post!
Yes to everything you typed. I am glad you’re shopping less and giving more! That’s the holiday spirit! Thanks for reading and commenting.
[...] give: shop less, give more this holiday season (thejolynproject.com) [...]
Couldn’t agree more with this post. Thanks for the reminder
No problem! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Awww thank you so much! I truly appreciate it!
[...] 9. shop less, give more this holiday season: There is a lot of noise during the holidays. People buzzing by. Cars honking. Cash registers ringing. Scuffling of feet rushing to the latest. Christmas carols. All of this noise makes people forget what’s truly important for the holidays and that’s a free bit of love. READ HERE [...]