gifts, unwrapped

*gifts*

I am not opposed to Christmas. I am not opposed to tradition, celebration, or remembering.

Though I, personally, would appreciate a different kind of gift for Christmas.

No, I do not want chocolate for Christmas. I do not want to damage my teeth, nor flood my body with sugar.

No, I do not want a bike for Christmas. I do not want to store or maintain it. [I do not appreciate gifts that have ongoing costs].

I do not want the latest console/game. I do not want clothes, trinkets, baubles, or decorations. I do not want to fake a smile just to satisfy someone's imagined need that they are a giving person. If I want such things, I will employ my own critical thought process to make a truly considered choice.

I do not want money for Christmas. I just... do not.

What would I appreciate?

How about an exchange: I will not buy you gifts if you do not buy me gifts. We both save time and money; we both contribute less to landfill; no-one has to fake a smile.

How about a discussion: you tell me how to spend less and live better, and I will do the same for you.

Gifts can be nice. But more often than not, I find such an activity performative, saccharine, and ritualistic without heart.

You really want to gift me a sweater? Do so when it is not socially deemed necessary, and the gift carries considerably more weight.

-

*unwrapped*

Consider this:

I receive a gift for Christmas.

It is wrapped.

Already, I am disappointed. Heartbroken, even.

Why?

The wrapping must be either thrown away or recycled, both of which incur environmental costs. I would rather contribute to a healthier environment by rejecting all forms of disposable wrapping.

And another point...

It disappoints me that society is whipped into a money spending frenzy during such occasions.

Why?

Some might purchase inferior goods just to tick something off a list.

Example: I have ten family members, and a small budget. So, for each member, I will buy them the cheapest thing which resembles a gift. Then, I can say I gave my family gifts.

Such gifts are not good, especially when accompanied by false smiles.

"Oh, thank you for this plastic flower. You are now socially acceptable." The giver assumes their gift is good, and so does something similar next year; the gifted is required to perform gratitude, when it could prompt them to harbour resentment ["this person never buys me things I want, but regardless, I will smile, as I do not want to cause a scene on Christmas"]

When gift giving becomes a social obligation, we can forget the somewhat hidden costs of performing for social points.

-

Imagine this:

The widespread tradition of wrapping gifts is entirely abandoned, for the sake of the environment.

Giving gifts is still a tradition, but it is mutually agreed: by eliminating an environmental cost, we all, in effect, give ourselves the gift of a healthier environment.

And I want to say... just because a particular ideal is widespread does not mean it is wise.

If we all were expected to burn a tree so that we can say Christmas was performed, is that wise? In such a scenario, we would smile at those that burn trees while slowly diminishing an environment that is able to support smiles.

-

If unwrapping a gift is so prised, why not... something that allows there to be a reveal?

A family decides: rather than purchasing wrapping that has environmental costs, gifts are placed inside a metal/wooden box. Such could even be personally decorated.

In such a case, the reveal remains intact, but so does that which allows there to be a reveal [the containers could be passed onto the next generation, and even if empty, would always contain memories of Christmas].