This Holiday Season, Give the Wonderful Gift of Nothing

November 21, 2023

by Charles Hugh Smith Of Two Minds

There’s actually something refreshingly wonderful about enjoying all the traditions without the obligation to buy or make gifts.

This holiday season, the most wonderful gift is the gift of ending the obligation to exchange gifts. Yes, I understand this is so appalling and monstrous that even Scrooge would hesitate to approve, but can we confess that overconsumption has limits, and we’re overdue for a recalibration?

Gift-giving is a wonderful tradition, but perhaps it’s time to give only ephemeral gifts of experiences and time spent together. Aren’t the nation’s self-storage units already stuffed with stuff? As for downshifting to homemade cookies and sweets, that’s a step in the right direction to be sure–consumable, made and given with love–but with every other advert being a Big Pharma pitch for a med that “lowers your A1C,” maybe sweets are the ideal gift now either.