It’s been a tough year for a lot of families and individuals across different lands. Collectively, we’re experiencing financial hardships, capitalism fatigue, climate change, manipulation from the US government, and overall anxiety for the future.

The last thing many folks want to do is spend money on things they don’t need, or spend money period.

So, I’m writing this guide as a tool to get us to think differently about gift giving during the holidays.

Instead of 5 gifts for each of your kids, why not 1 meaningful gift? Instead of a gift for each of your friends, why not host a gathering? Instead of buying your gifts from Amazon, why not spend with small businesses?

It’s these small changes that will make lasting impacts in your journey to building an anti-capitalism lifestyle.

(And no, I am not an anti-capitalist expert. I’m just a bookish gal whose been practicing anti-capitalist gift giving for about 7 years.)

Don’t go into debt this holiday season Buying Shit You Don’t Need To Buy

Christmas, a holiday with deeply Christian roots has become a holiday with capitalist values. Capitalism makes us think the more money we spend on ourselves and others, the more our perceived human value increases. But this is simply not true.

Big box stores will push Gift Guides on you; sending emails, push notifications, texts about what you should buy to make your loved ones happy. But you and I both know newness doesn’t always equal happiness.

Christmas and the winter Holidays can be so consumer-driven sometimes. The waste we create with wrapping paper, new packaging, or throwing away things we don’t like during this season is staggering. The holidays don’t have to be this way.

Capitalism and consumer culture have us convinced and trained to think new or expensive are the best gifts. But gift-giving is an act of love. It should not be tied to consumer-culture, but instead the culture of reciprocity.

The Power of Gifting Thinking

Gift giving shouldn’t be an obligation to spend money, it should be a celebration of life and love. Whether you choose to buy something, make something, or share something, it should mean something to you.

Giving is a love language, an act of love, an act of reciprocity. When someone gives something to you, it becomes much more meaningful than if you would have purchased it yourself.

Robin Wall Kimmerer explains the power of gift thinking below:

“Conceiving of something as a gift changes your relationship to it in a profound way, even though the physical makeup of the ‘thing’ has not changed. A woolly knit hat that you purchase at the store will keep you warm regardless of its origin, but if it was hand knit by your favorite auntie, then you are in relationship to that ‘thing’ in a very different way: you are responsible for it, and your gratitude has motive force in the world. You’re likely to take much better care of the gift hat than the commodity hat, because it is knit of relationships. This is the power of gift thinking. I imagine if we acknowledged that everything we consume is the gift of Mother Earth, we would take better care of what we are given. Mistreating a gift has emotional and ethical gravity as well as ecological resonance.”

– from “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Alternatives to a Capitalist holiday season

When using the power of gift thinking, everything from Mother Earth become a gift. The food we grow, the rain we collect, the wool you get from sheep. All of it is a gift and none of it is bought.

Using this frame of mind, what are some gifts you can offer others that do not require you to spend? Or what about gifts that don’t require you to give your dollars back to billionaires? Can you think of ways to show your love that don’t require the expected participation in capitalism this year?

I’ve been practicing about this concept for about 7 years now, and listed below are some of my favorite ways to spread joy, love, and care, while being mindful about where I’m voting with my dollar.

No-Spend or Low-Spend Ideas

1. Craft something unique and personal like a reusable pin board, bookmark, or custom frame
2. Make a collage with pictures and magazine cut outs
3. Gift your art like a drawing, painting, or a poem
4. Re-gift something you currently own and would love to pass on
5. Host a cute/cool stuff swap with your friends and family (Like a White Elephant, but FREE!)

Bigger Splurge & Effort Ideas

1. Host a meal for friends and family, like brunch or dinner
2. Host a party!
3. Give out boxes of homemade baked goods or pre-prepared meals
4. Draw, paint, or illustrate personal and unique art pieces
5. Knit, crochet, or embroider a piece of clothing or accessory

Alternative to Big Boxes

1. Buy baked goods or meals from small businesses or local bakeries
2. Buy gifts, trinkets, little things from small or local businesses
3. Gift prints, pins, stickers, or art pieces, from your favorite artists
4. Thrift at your local vintage or antique shop (not Goodwill or the Salvation Army)
5. Donate money or items to a shelter and organizations in the recipients name

Small Craft Gift Ideas

1. Make beaded bookmarks, bracelets, or jewelry
2. Make a zine about your relationship or why you love and appreciate this person
3. Make a collage with pictures and magazine cut outs
4. Make a drink kit or a baking kit for them to make whenever they please
5. Up-cycle older clothing or accessories with pins, alterations, or patches

Don’t Let Capitalism Bring You Down This Season

Western traditions and habits are hard to break, so some of us might still feel pressured or obligated to buy new things for the people we love. That’s okay. Remember that you have the power to choose where your dollar goes.

The gift you give is powerful and should be treated with great responsibility. By supporting small businesses, you stimulate your local economy. By choosing to share meals instead of buying from a corporation, you’re gifting an unforgettable experience. By making something with your hands versus buying something mass produced, you’re gifting uniqueness.

So, don’t feel bad for not participating in the holidays the way our society has trained us to do. Remember, the people in power want us broke, tired, and stuck in an endless cycle of work. But we can do things differently. We can choose differently.

The winter holidays are a time to rest, reset, and enjoy your family and friends. So do that. Don’t go into debt trying to prove your worth. Don’t overspend. Don’t spend frivolously. Don’t spend indiscriminately. Instead, be mindful, be kind, and be thoughtful.

I hope you learned something from this guide. Please share this guide widely with your family and friends. And remember, don’t be afraid to make a positive change in the world. 💖