We Wish You a Buy Nothing Christmas

Peter and I have made a radical decision. This year we are going to try to have a BUY NOTHING CHRISTMAS! GAh! Whatchootalkinboutwillis?

I came across this article, Hundred Dollar Holiday, and it really got me thinking. How much did I spend last year? Do my friends and family remember what I gave them? Do I remember what I received? I wracked my brain and I couldn't remember what my mom gave me last year...isn't that terrible? Do I have so much STUFF that I don't remember where and who it all came from? Did the true meaning of Christmas get lost in the piles of wrapping paper and ribbons? Was I so busy shopping that I didn't spend enough time at home, reflecting and celebrating the REAL Christmas? I looked around our house and was just appalled at how much stuff we have accumulated...I still had things in boxes that I never used, clothes with tags on them and even stuff still in their shopping bags that I'd forgotten that I'd even bought! I wondered if other peoples' homes looked like that. Do we all just have too much STUFF?!

So, I suggested Buy Nothing Christmas (you can read about it here) to Peter and he agreed. We're not going to go cold turkey, we will have a Buy (Almost) Nothing Christmas. We will TRY not to spend on gifts.

I told my sister about it and she looked at me funny and the first thing she said was, "Aww, how boring..that's gonna suck!" I told her not to worry...we will still give gifts! I LOVE PRESENTS!!! But our gifts will be homemade or creatively recycled. We will enjoy baking, knitting, and crafting. If we do buy anything, we will try to limit our spending or only buy a gift of "experience" like tickets to a show or something. So all my friends and family out there who are reading this: I promise that all of our gifts will be thoughtful and heartfelt...and don't be offended by creative regifting! Early shopper that I am, however, I've already bought some things for my friends' kids...so too late to change that. If I happen to come across something that I can justify because I know the recipient will absolutely love and treasure it, then I may just go ahead and buy it. It's the reckless and thoughtless buying that I'm trying to curb.

After explaining to my sister that weren't going to spoil the gift-giving fun on Christmas morning (or midnight, when we open presents at our house), she joked, "Do you know how to make an XBox 360?"

How about an XBox 360 cake?

I hope you guys understand what we are trying to do and hope you don't think we're being grinches or fuddy duddies. If you want, join us! Let's take Christmas back from the big box stores! If you don't want to have a Buy Nothing Christmas, then at least keep some of the ideas of less spending, less impact on the environment, and experiencing more joys of the season.

For creative ideas and alternatives for gift giving, visit this site with ideas on how to simplify the holidays.