The Authentic Eclectic

Crawling Out of the Trap of Consumerism

Your time is the best gift you can give in a hurry sick world

Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash

I’m tired of falling into the trap of consumerism. I’m tired of worrying that if I don’t get every person in my life who claims to love me a gift, they will suddenly stop loving me. I’m tired of basing love off of monetary giving. I’m tired.

This year, I decided to let my family and friends know I’m not buying Christmas gifts. I’ve been striving to make this commitment for the last four years, yet always cave at the sight of pretty objects reminiscent of the people in my life I care about.

I’ve done the hard work in my own life to get rid of certain belongings that no longer serve me; I’ve aimed to declutter, simplify, and minimize. It feels good until you try to explain this effort to others and they don’t respect it.

I’ve taken countless trips to the local thrift store drop-off only to be given countless gifts I don’t need from family members who don’t seem to hear me when I say, I don’t need anything.

Instead of clinging to the hope that they will respect my wishes (been there done that), I tend to tell these family members specific things I do need with the goal of holding on to — and not donating — their…