Top 5 Post-Christmas Ways to De-Commercialize Your Christmas

December 24th, 2007 | by Noel |

Thanks to Dan for recommending Ben Witherington’s post on what Christmas meant to C.S. Lewis:

A Religious Festival

An Occasion for Merry-making and Hospitality

A Commercial Racket

His thoughts on all three struck me, but the last one struck me the most. If Christmas was a commercial racket in Lewis’ time, how much more is it for us now?

However, since it is Christmas Eve, I suspect we (I am including myself in this) have already been sucked into the commercial racket of this year’s season. So, I present to you my

Top 5 Post-Christmas Ways to De-commercialize Your Christmas:

1. Resist the urge to add everyone who sent you a Christmas card this year to your card list for next year.

2. Commit to prioritize “Merry Making” over “Gift Giving” next year.

To make sure you remember this one, open your calendar program right now and type this note on November 28, 2008: “Plan Merry Making.” While everyone else is shopping on Black Friday, you’ll be having more fun planning a party.

3. For every shirt, jacket, tie, belt, dress, pair of shoes, sock, kilt , etc. you receive for Christmas, take an old one out of your closet and donate it to charity.

My dad has done this for years. Part of it is driven by his desire to keep his closet neat, but a lot of it is driven by his generosity.

4. There is always some gift you end up returning. Instead of buying something for yourself with the exchange, donate the money to charity or buy some supplies for an area AIDS network or foodbank.

You don’t have to tell Grandma that is what you did with the sweater she bought you. Just graciously accept the gift and quietly exchange it.

5. Set next year’s Christmas budget now.

This way, you don’t go into debt. Throw a couple bucks aside from every paycheck all year long. Then, when it comes time for Christmas shopping, divide the cash into three piles: charity donation, merry making, and gifts. Only shop with cash and when you are out of money, you are done shopping.

Merry Christmas!

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2 Responses to “Top 5 Post-Christmas Ways to De-Commercialize Your Christmas”

  1. By Justin on Dec 24, 2007

    Well…it’s seems that the war on Christmas has gotten to you too. C’mon, be more American!

    ;)

  2. By Art on Dec 25, 2007

    I could show you ads from newspapers 100 years ago. They are just about what you’d see today; of course they were black and a lot of people would take them to the outhouse for more than just reading.
    http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/ has a good selection.

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