A Minimalist Holiday

As the holidays approach I find myself thinking of the problem of stuff. In the past I accumulated a lot of stuff in the holidays that I never needed nor truthfully wanted. They were things that did not make me happy.

I also gave a lot of things to people that they didn’t really need. All this gift giving probably made them worry that they had to give me something equally nice in return. In hindsight, my giving useless gifts probably took more away from the holidays than actually made them brighter and cheerier.

I’ve been reading of all the social problems that comes with most stuff; how the workers who make them aren’t paid enough, how these real toy makers work with dangerous materials, and often in overtime, so that they don’t have time to spend with their families.

Upon reflection, this stuff collecting goes against my environmentalist and socially responsible self and that is not me at all.

This holiday season and in my everyday, I have been trying to minimize my stuff. In my stuff reflections, I’ve realized that even though I loved getting gifts in the past, the things I remembered the most were not even the gifts at all.

What I remember the most is my grandpa reading The Night Before Christmas to me on Christmas Eve night, making cookies with my grandma, and playing with my brother in the snow. People and experiences are what I remember the most and that’s true for most everyday as well.

This year, I am making a pact with myself to be less stuff oriented and use that space for adventures and people. I have already cleared out my room and it is amazing how much calmer one can feel in a useless stuff free space.

I do not think I will ever be completely stuff-less. I don’t think all gifts are bad, but I do think that I can live with less stuff.

And because I like lists here is a list of my favorite five non-stuff gifts to give:

1.     An artistically and uniquely designed coupon for a tea date at a café

2.     A Homemade meal (plant-based of course J)

3.     A trip to a city, park, ice skating rink, or all three

4.     Membership to a fitness place or yoga studio

5.     Movie or theatre tickets