From the Editor: Let the recession indicators keep you mindful this holiday season

The most wonderful time of the year is back. 

December chills, stockings, holidays markets, festive treats, nostalgic movies, quality time with loved ones, ice skating, coziness, and warmth are all associated with this holly and jolly time of year. But so is breaking the bank to please those you care about most. 

If this isn’t the usual “buy experiences and memories, not tangible gifts” reminder that you need to help you stay afloat during the holiday madness, I don’t know what will be. 

Experiences, however, are known to give more beyond the holiday season. But this doesn’t mean we have to force them on people who don’t have the time to actually experience them? 

Is it possible to buy nothing and still experience the holidays in all their glory? Maybe. 

While a good, thoughtful gift from the heart — without looming expectations and financial pressures — is just as good, this can often be hard considering, well, capitalism and consumerism. 

These economic perpetrators have converted the holiday season into a free-for-all consumerist period. Holidays aren’t about gingerbread houses and cheesy Hallmark Channel movies anymore. They’re about Black Friday, Boxing Day, and Cyber whatnot. 

I know those “What to get your boo” or “Top 10 gift ideas for pookie” videos on social media aren’t making it easy to cherish the holidays without being influenced. But let the deplorable prices do the trick, babe — even with the 10-per-cent off, it’s not worth it.

With special days dedicated to making you actively go out of your way to spend money, being held hostage to a minor discount coupon is not the “holiday deal” you need to snag this season. 

Big corporations like to capitalize on the season through gift-giving and consumer culture. The tradition of gift-giving has evolved into a modern high stake’s prosperity competition. 

Especially as students living on a budget and juggling the cost of necessities like tuition, books, rent, food, and groceries, the holiday season can be a stressful time —  consider those bank statements you refuse to look at.  

A recent holiday retail survey from Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc. found Canadians will spend an average of $1,646 on gifts, decorations, experiences, and more this holiday season. An increase from last year, most of this spending is driven by experiences and non-gift items, which marks a positive shift in colloquial gift-giving traditions. Experiences account for 39 per cent of holiday budgets, with spending in this category up 17 per cent from last year. 

The survey also found Black Friday remains the top holiday purchasing period, with 78 per cent Canadians having planned to shop and 31 per cent saying it will be “their biggest spending day.” 

On a lighter note, self-gifting has increased by 7 per cent from last year, while gift-giving to others has fallen by 3 per cent, which is great news for me. 

I know it can be fun curating gifts for those who you care about but remember to embrace other ways of giving without falling into dubious schemes and contributing to consumerism. 

Bake something (only if you know how to), host a small dinner, write a heartfelt card, or make a handmade present. Those who cherish you will love you unconditionally no matter how you show your appreciation.  

Don’t let your consumerism take a hit on your holiday spirit this year.