![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Christmas: All About Things?
People like to complain about how the Holidays are too commercial. But how many people actually do anything about it? How many people stop what they're doing and volunteer at a shelter or a halfway house? How many people forgo gifts for their families and donate to charity instead? How many people take all their yummy Holiday food and give it to a lonesome neighbor?
I don't, for the most part.
You know what? I think materialism is fun. I very lucky to have a happy life, a wonderful husband, lots of good freinds, enough to eat, all that there. But I love giving presents. I really, really enjoy it. So I am one of those types who spends more than they should buying people things. I don't think that makes me overtly materialistic. Or does it? I suppose in some people's estimation, it does.
You know what else? I enjoy receiving gifts as well. It's always fun to see what kind of things people pick out for me. H's Mom just sent me a pair of heart earrings, the kind of thing I would never choose for myself. But they are really beautiful and I'm delighted to have them. Plus it was such a cool surprise. Getting surprises in the mail is awesome!
In the end, I think it's okay to enjoy the whole gift giving thing. As long as you're not trampeling people, screaming at sales clerks, or sending your family into debt, go ahead and enjoy some pressies.
If anyone calls you materialistic, you can tell them I said it was okay.
I don't, for the most part.
You know what? I think materialism is fun. I very lucky to have a happy life, a wonderful husband, lots of good freinds, enough to eat, all that there. But I love giving presents. I really, really enjoy it. So I am one of those types who spends more than they should buying people things. I don't think that makes me overtly materialistic. Or does it? I suppose in some people's estimation, it does.
You know what else? I enjoy receiving gifts as well. It's always fun to see what kind of things people pick out for me. H's Mom just sent me a pair of heart earrings, the kind of thing I would never choose for myself. But they are really beautiful and I'm delighted to have them. Plus it was such a cool surprise. Getting surprises in the mail is awesome!
In the end, I think it's okay to enjoy the whole gift giving thing. As long as you're not trampeling people, screaming at sales clerks, or sending your family into debt, go ahead and enjoy some pressies.
If anyone calls you materialistic, you can tell them I said it was okay.
no subject
no subject
no subject
I do get annoyed by self-righteous anti-materialism. Another pet peeve is people who claim Xmas displays, decorations, or merchandise appear earlier and earlier every year. I remember when I was ten, back in 1970, people were aghast that "now they have Christmas stuff up in September! Can you believe it?!?!?" "Well so-and-so had something out in August!"
And every year I hear people, often younger than me, being mortified sometime in October about Xmas stuff being out so early, and how much earlier it is every year.
Oh, I'm ranting in someone else's journal...oops.
no subject
Yeah, I agree when it stops being fun it's def time to reevaluate. When I get tired or stressed of buying gifts, I draw a line and everyone under it gets cookies instead of "real" gifts. And you know what? No one has ever complained. ;-]
no subject
no subject
But yeah, you really should have gotten that Dream House.
Hey hon, it's not too late!
Re: Hey hon, it's not too late!
Re: Hey hon, it's not too late!
no subject
no subject