Consumerism takes over Christmas (Illustrated by Elise Fey)
The holidays are about spending time with loved ones and celebrating the values we hold near and dear to our hearts, right? As the world becomes faster-paced and overnight shipping becomes an expectation, it seems as though holidays have become less about quality time and more about looking the part. Holidays have been overtaken by our urges to buy the best gifts and have the best decorations on the street; consumerism has become a negative influence on our holiday cheer.
Many holidays are celebrated because of their origins. One notable example is Independence Day, which celebrates the day the United States was freed from British control with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The history behind holidays is a propelling reason to celebrate them; however, as we move further away from those beginnings, so do our perspectives from the true meaning of holidays. These celebrations have become overwhelmingly dictated by our materialistic perspective on the world.
While many people believe the blatantly expensive shopping sprees largely associated with the holiday season to be representative of the value of generosity. In reality, gift-giving can often feel like a burden for many people. Some reasons for this may be because many feel forced to order presents to maintain ties with work acquaintances and as a means of preventing any family drama. According to a 2023 study about the amount of money the average person spends on Christmas gifts each year, “those with an annual household income between $40,000 and $99,999–plan to spend $947 this year, on average, up more than $200 from last year’s $709.” As the years pass, more and more people get wrapped up in the need to buy gifts. Data collected by World Population Review shows that the median rent payment in Illinois is $1,179, meaning that, around the holiday season, people are spending almost as much money on gifts as they are on rent. A survey from Drive Research also found that only 2% of people who responded to their survey did not expect to spend any money during this holiday season through classic shopping sprees. The pressure put on shoppers to spend more and more money is not their fault, however. Businesses feed into this overconsumption and overspending by shifting their advertising campaigns during different holidays around the year.
Many large businesses launch special deals or limited time offers around certain holidays as means of drawing in more customers. One very popular company that does this is Starbucks. For each season, Starbucks shifts their menu to sell drinks that correspond with the upcoming holidays. For example, in the fall, Starbucks offers pumpkin spice drinks to entice business. In the wintertime, Starbucks offers a variety of peppermint-based beverages. Nathan Le, a senior at Glenbard South High School who works part-time at Starbucks, noted that he served about 1,666 customers the day that the Starbucks holiday menu was released, bringing in about $10,301 at just that one location. Le noted that “It was crazy. People literally go crazy for a $6 drink.” It is no secret that many companies shift their menus seasonally in order to spark business, but they would not keep doing so if this technique didn’t work. We fall into these marketing tricks because they present these exclusive products as new and exciting and make them seem like an essential part of the holiday spirit. Not only do companies make menu or catalog changes around the holidays, but there is also an entire day dedicated to holiday shopping: Black Friday.
Black Friday is famous for their all-time low prices and fantastic deals. Thanksgiving feels incomplete for many people without the Black Friday and Cyber Monday additions to the holiday weekend. A survey conducted by Drive Research found that, although a small percentage, 10% of people surveyed would completely opt out of Thanksgiving dinner in order to get their early Black Friday deals. Abby Edwards, a senior at Glenbard South, said that, although she enjoys Thanksgiving, she also looks forward to the online shopping deals. For many, this holiday that is intended to bring us together while celebrating our differences as a whole is overshadowed by the prospect of saving money on an item you did not need and would not have bought if not for the sale. We, as a society, are so concentrated on materialism that we forget the true meaning of the holidays: spending time with loved ones and celebrating our shared values.
People like to say that the holidays are a time for reflection and contemplation. This year, consider reflecting on what holidays truly mean to you. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for the people in your life, show your love and gratitude by giving them the gift of quality time or simply opt for a homemade card with a personalized message. Taking the time to make someone something meaningful or unique shows your love and appreciation more than any Hallmark gift ever could.
