The holiday season is full of gatherings, cheer, and for some of us, like myself, crippling eco-anxiety. While the core message of underconsumption is becoming more widespread, there is still so much underlying overconsumption. If someone buys me a present, do I feel obligated to reciprocate? Do I give a gift just for the sake of gifting, even if it’s something they don’t need or want? At a staff potluck or family gathering, there are often too many dishes—do we just use single-use plates and cutlery? What if one of my children ends up with more presents than another?
The endless spiral of consumption during the holiday season induces stress, eats away at time, and inevitably leaves behind mountains of waste.
But don’t get me wrong—I absolutely love participating in holiday activities and gift-giving. It’s not the spirit of the season I question, but rather the way it’s often carried out, which can raise concerns about the sustainability of our planet.
From “I Want Everything” to “Please Don’t Buy Me Anything”
You know, I wasn’t always like this—the person who dislikes 'things' and constantly thinks about reusing rather than buying new. In the past, I was always on the lower-consumption side compared to my friends, saving money for experiences and travel. As a kid, I was spoiled and expected mountains of gifts under the tree (yes, I’m ashamed, and yes, I’ve clearly grown out of it).
The thing about childhood, though, is that it shaped how I approach adulthood, especially when it comes to what I call “everyday spending” (a topic my partner and I disagree on… almost daily). My parents never bought us random toys or clothes whenever we wanted them. What we ‘needed’ or ‘wanted’ was reserved for Christmas, birthdays, and back-to-school shopping. If I wanted new clothes—like, say, a desperately needed pair of bell-bottom jeans to replace the ones that were completely worn out—I had to wait for one of those special occasions.
Being the fortunate kid I was, there was always a mountain of ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ under the tree. Filled with excitement, I was that kid awake at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning, staring in awe at the tree, ready to open what seemed like a million presents.
And now? You could say I hyperventilate at the sight of presents under the tree. Despite my constant pleading to avoid gifts or for all of us to save our money, my wish for an empty space beneath the tree is never granted.
Memories of Toys or Moments?
Of course, I have memories of some favorite toys and clothing items from my childhood, but more often than not, you'll hear me reminiscing about making Christmas pudding with my Bobi (grandmother in Yiddish) and cousins, each of us making a wish when it was our turn to stir, and the glorious gingerbread houses we used to make.
I don’t have that Spice Girls poster anymore, or my Barbies, or any of my toys. So where are they now? Let me preface that by saying my mom was very into secondhand items and would pass these things along. But when I ask, "Where are they now?" I mean it in a bigger sense. Does someone out there still have these items? Are they sitting in a thrift store? Or, worse, did they end up in the landfill?
My toys and things brought joy for a short time in my life, but now I no longer have them. However, the memories made during the holiday seasons are something I'll carry with me forever—locked in my memory, a photo, or a video.
Awkward Anxieties
Fast forward to today, and there's nothing more awkward for me than when someone asks if I'm done with my Christmas shopping. Aside from feeling awkward, I also feel bad for the person asking, who then has to listen to my rant about how I don't really buy "things," even outside of the holiday season. Perhaps what I express could spark more conversations about eco-anxiety and the need to consume less—or maybe I just sound like the Grinch (but I really do love Christmas, I swear)!
Something I often see online or in person, whether during the holidays or not, are pranks. Sure, they can be funny, but they’re completely unnecessary (there I go again, sounding like the Grinch again). One classic Christmas prank I often see is wrapping someone's office or vehicle in wrapping paper. We also have a prankster in our family—WHOM I LOVE DEARLY—but sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall. This year, we had our Christmas celebration on the 14th due to travel plans, and the prank turned out to be a gift wrapped in layer upon layer of wrapping paper, loads of tape, and zip ties—all for a pack of gum. If only they could feel my eco-anxiety.
On a brighter note, for our Christmas celebrations this year, I decided to try a unique gifting idea inspired by an Instagram reel (@sibster) I saw about an advent calendar.
My Christmas House
From beginning to end, I kept referring to my gift as "my house." Built from cardboard, paper towel rolls, and cotton balls, I put together 'my house' with a hot glue gun, a glue stick, and added a few finishing touches with a silver marker. I thought about gift cards and experiences that my family often enjoyed, and what came to mind were Amazon, Best Buy, and Cineplex gift cards. Though I'm no fan of Amazon, I know my family members are, so I had to get past that!
Then, the best idea came to me. My Bobi used to give each grandchild a Christmas tin full of her oat, chocolate chip cookies. I decided to try and live up to her baking skills and give it a shot myself.
So, here was my unique gift. I wanted to turn it into a game somehow, but with so much catching up and chatter, we just decided to go around the circle, with each family member choosing a number at random. There were no hard feelings if anyone wanted to trade the 'gift token' they got with another family member! This gift was a hit, with my mom even exclaiming that she’s going to want this again next year. Maybe I'll have to think up more experiences or baked goods to include. The success of the 'My House' gift definitely eased some eco-anxiety, knowing that everything I gifted would be used (or eaten). And as an added bonus - I can reuse this cardboard house for years to come!
How do you curb eco-anxiety around the holidays?
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