During Christmas, people spend hours online or in stores, searching for presents for their friends and family. While buying gifts for your loved ones might seem like a common tradition during the holiday season, Christmas was not always centered around gift-giving. The tradition was inspired by an old folktale and began when French nuns started giving presents to poor children in the 12th century during the weeks preceding Christmas. This practice spread throughout Europe rapidly, becoming a norm in the celebration of winter holidays. Today, people annually spend an average of nearly $1,000 on Christmas gifts. Last year, overall holiday spending reached almost $900 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, and it seems that the holiday focuses more and more on gift-giving each year.
Many people find issues with the rise of consumerism during Christmas. Since the holiday revolves around buying decorations and shopping for gifts, consumers are pressured to buy more expensive items to gift their loved ones. Some people feel that giving an inexpensive item may seem less thoughtful or caring. To prevent affection and love from being measured in terms of money, many are advocating for a shift in focus from gift-giving to spending time with family and friends or enjoying time off from work or school. Others want to find deeper religious or spiritual connections to the holiday.
Despite the advocacy for change, most people still continue to participate in the practice of gift-giving during Christmas. However, the new perspectives on how Christmas should be celebrated raise questions about the true meaning of the holiday.
