Anyone familiar with Colin Beavan (aka No Impact Man) is probably not at all surprised that, in 2007, he and his family chose to skip traditional Christmas gift buying and giving.
He went for a holiday celebration without presents, and he says it was the "best of Christmas ... all the upside without the downside."
Christmas without presents? (Yes, as much as we fight it, something inside is screaming "bah humbug!")
But Colin, in an article he wrote for Yes!, explains (and backs up with research) that what makes us happy during the holidays is not the presents and the shopping -- it's the people and the quality time spent with loved ones .... We knew that already right?
Still, no presents? Well, that's not entirely true. Colin and his wife did give gifts. They gave gift certificates for massages, the theatre, dinner at a local restaurant -- things that aren't things. And their daughter was given hand-me down toys from her older cousins. Of course, she was more interested in singing carols ...
Have you ever tried a no-gift holiday season? Could you do it?
Read Colin's whole story here.
tip via GreenLAGirl
image via krisdecurtis; Flickr.com
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I could definitely do it!
If only I could get everyone else who is insistent on giving gifts to go along with the idea.
view Daily Nuance's profile
My sister has so many kids... no way I could ever afford to gets gifts for them all... especially as they have grown and their taste in 'things' grows as well...
Years ago I began baking and giving edible (usually with a healthy twist) gifts... Now, my treats are expected - if not demanded by more than family members...
it's kinda nice :)
view VeryDelishVeg's profile
We are doing it. We aren't including a baby boy in this. He is 17 months old and doesn't really know what gifts are anyways, but it still just seems unfair to not have gifts under the tree for him. But we are getting him educational, but fun gifts. A teepee, really cool building blocks, and a plasma car that I am ordering early for his 2nd birthday.
view mamaspank's profile
Not completely gift free but we have a firm dollar limit - $75 for any person you are sending gifts to, including tax, shipping, wrapping, everything. You have to get creative and really think about what the receipient wants but it's actually made the holidays more fun. For younger girls, I also throw in all of the free cosmetic bags Nordstrom constantly hands out this time of year with free samples of everything.
view dcaries's profile
What Daily Nuance said... I'd do it, but who would join me?
Gosh, have I ever given a gift over $75? I try to avoid exchanging gifts with people I don't know well enough to buy a gift for (if that makes any sense.) Although I admit to hitting after-Christmas sales to nab holiday goodies for next year's obligatories.
view whytephoenix's profile