A few centuries of holiday shopping has evolved from gifting a few items to a multi-month mega shopping event full of promotions, sales, and buying pressure. According to the Center for Biological Diversity’s 2023 survey, US households throw away 23% more trash in the month of December than other times of the year.
Americans buy a lot of unwanted gifts every year and did you know that a vast number of these items don’t get returned to the store shelves? In reality, many are simply trashed and it's estimated that in a single year, a whopping 5 BILLION pounds of returned products are discarded into landfills. It’s not just gifts that cause the waste. According to the Columbia Climate School in a single holiday season more than 38,000 miles of ribbon alone are thrown away, typically ending up in landfills.
It’s not just the holiday season that impacts the environment. Developed countries like the US consume a disproportionate quantity of the planet’s resources and in doing so generate enormous amounts of waste, leaving a large carbon footprint behind at the checkout. According to a UNICEF report, if everybody in the world consumed resources at the rate of people in Canada, Luxembourg and the United States, we’d need at least five earths to maintain such consumer habits.
Over-consumption is one of the leading forces of environmental harm, depleting resources at an alarming rate and contributing heavily to pollution and waste. Addressing this issue can’t be ignored when we talk about living a more sustainable life as a community and country. But this is a real challenge. We’re inundated with advertising, on our highways, on our phones and our TVs.
It’s hard to escape the push to shop, particularly during the winter holiday season when making the most of the time means decorating to the max and getting gifts for everyone on your list. With a bit of a shift in perspective and some small practical changes in buying habits, you can not only start to change how and what you consume, but also influence your friends and family as well.
Understanding Over-Consumption During the Holidays
The winter season, marked by festivities and gift-giving, is a prime time for over-consumption. From purchasing excessive amounts of holiday decorations and gifts to food waste at gatherings, a lot of waste is generated.
The impact extends beyond the immediate waste. The production of holiday-related items, such as decorative lights, wrapping paper, and mass-produced gifts, requires significant energy and raw materials, contributing to carbon emissions and resource depletion. The cycle of over-consumption is often driven by marketing and our need to make special memories based around the things we buy to decorate, eat, and gift. But any push to minimize this feeling of consumer abandon can feel like the Grinch came in to spoil all of our fun. It doesn’t have to be that way though! There are plenty of ways to celebrate without spending. In fact, cutting down on consumerism could actually be the recipe for a cheerier winter season! Countless reports show that Americans often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to spend and underwhelmed by the result. We get into debt at an unprecedented rate during the holiday shopping season leading to more stress and financial pressure. Maybe now is the perfect time to aim for buying less and enjoying the season more.
Common Holiday Over-Consumption Hotspots and How to Counteract Them
- Decorations: The urge to buy new holiday decorations every year can be overwhelming. Counteract this by reusing and repurposing old decorations or making DIY decor from sustainable materials. Follow influencers that share sustainable ideas rather than social channels that are all about spending on new stuff.
- Gift-Wrapping Supplies: Wrapping paper, ribbons, and tags often end up as waste. Opt for reusable options like fabric wrap, recycled paper, or gift bags that can be used multiple times. Paper without gloss or foil is a better choice for wrapping and it’s best to avoid plastic bows or ribbons all together.
- Gifts: Excessive gift-giving can lead to items that are unused or quickly discarded. Focus on thoughtful, experience-based gifts or handmade items that carry sentimental value. Discuss expectations with family and consider trying out a “Pollyanna” gifting experience where each person only buys for a single person, instead of the entire family.
- Food Preparation: Preparing large amounts of food can result in significant waste. Plan meals based on realistic portion sizes and have a plan for leftovers, such as freezing extra food, “bring-your-own-container” leftover sharing, or turning everything into new dishes.
- Impulse Buys: Holiday sales and promotions can lead to overbuying. Create a shopping list and budget in advance to avoid impulsive purchases. Resist the “dollar aisle” of stores and products with excess plastic which will only be thrown away at the end of the season.
Emphasizing quality over quantity can create more meaningful celebrations while reducing waste and promoting a sense of fulfillment that isn't reliant on material excess. Many of us have been conditioned over our life to think more is more at the holiday season. Stepping back from those traditions and giving yourself the freedom to create new types of memories can be a meaningful process that brings new life to your celebrations.
Everywhere We Look, Someone is Telling Us to Buy
Social media ads and advertising in general can make it challenging to manage consumption. Particularly during the holidays, purchasing items are often presented as the solution to a problem, a way to be a better person or as a way to show you care/love someone.
Think of all of the ways you’ve been given the idea that buying more equates to caring more. Now think about your loved ones and the reasons they are so special to you. More often than not, it’s the time we spend and the memories we make that form the bonds we cherish, rather than giving them the perfect gift. Sure gift giving is fun and it’s nice to feel thought of, and there’s certainly a place for that in every relationship! Being more aware and taking steps to keep consumerism in check is just a small part of a much bigger picture that can really help you become immune to the manipulations and pressures advertising places on all of our lives.
Understanding these marketing tricks can help us resist unnecessary purchases and keep our focus on what truly matters. Here are some mindful strategies to help recognize these influences and create a healthier relationship with consumption:
Recognize that Love Isn’t Measured by Gifts: Advertising often equates love with material gifts, but meaningful gestures and quality time can have a greater impact.
Be Wary of Scarcity Messaging: Limited-time offers and flash sales create urgency, pushing you to buy without fully considering the need. Take a step back and evaluate before acting.
Separate Wants from Needs: Marketers often tap into emotional needs, presenting items as “essential” for happiness. Listing out true necessities before shopping can help avoid impulse buys.
Notice Influencer and Social Media Pressures: The portrayal of “must-have” products can lead to a feeling of missing out. Unfollow accounts that promote excessive consumption or try a social media break during high-spend times.
Set a Gift-Giving Philosophy: Define what gift-giving means to you—whether it’s handmade, experiential, or practical items—to avoid unnecessary spending and create gifts with purpose.
Question the “More is Better” Mindset: Ads often imply that the latest, most luxurious version is best. Instead, focus on the value and utility of what you already own.
Practice Mindful Gratitude: Reflect on what you have, especially before a shopping trip. Recognizing your abundance can reduce the desire to keep adding more.
Make Unsubscribing a Habit: Reduce the number of promotional emails and notifications you receive to avoid impulsive purchases spurred by constant marketing reminders.
Year-Round Strategies to Minimize Over-Buying
Although lots of consumption occurs in November and December each year, we could all learn to minimize our shopping footprint over the course of the entire year. Cutting down on consumerism can be an amazing way to live more sustainably and reduce the carbon emissions being produced through manufacturing.
- Adopt a Minimalist Mindset: Regularly declutter your home and donate items you no longer need. This practice helps shift your mindset towards valuing what you have and prevents impulse purchases.
- Create a Budget and Stick to It: Establishing a clear budget for discretionary spending can limit unnecessary buying and encourage financial mindfulness.
- Shop with a List: Whether for groceries, clothing, or gifts, shopping with a list ensures you buy only what you need.
- Embrace the 30-Day Rule: For non-essential items, wait 30 days before making a purchase. This pause helps curb impulse buying and promotes more thoughtful decisions.
- Choose Quality Over Quantity: Investing in durable, higher-quality items often reduces the need for frequent replacements and minimizes waste over time.
- Plan and Rotate Seasonal Decor: Reuse and repurpose decorations year after year, adding minor updates for freshness without excessive buying. Ignore the shopping cycles designed to trigger buying earlier and earlier for holiday seasons. The earlier you begin shopping, the more you’re likely to buy.
- Opt for Second-Hand and Thrift Stores: Thrifting not only reduces demand for new products but also supports sustainable practices by giving items a second life.
- Focus on Experience-Based Gifting: Gift experiences like tickets to events, workshops, or subscriptions to digital services that don’t contribute to physical clutter.
Adopting these strategies can help break the cycle of over-consumption and foster a more balanced, sustainable lifestyle. While the winter holidays often emphasize material abundance, shifting to more conscious habits can create celebrations filled with joy and meaning—without the environmental toll.
FAQs on Minimizing Over-Consumption
What are some early signs that I may be over-consuming during the holidays?
Common signs include buying items that go unused, stockpiling unnecessary gifts, or noticing significant amounts of waste post-holiday, such as leftover food and discarded packaging.
How can I involve my family in reducing holiday consumption?
Engage your family by starting new traditions focused on experiences, such as a shared holiday outing or volunteering together. Make sustainable practices fun, like crafting homemade decorations or wrapping gifts with reusable materials.
Are there ways to balance holiday spirit with sustainability?
Absolutely! Focus on meaningful traditions that emphasize time spent together rather than material gifts. Decorating with reusable items and choosing eco-friendly, experience-based gifts can maintain the holiday spirit while being mindful of the environment.
What can I do if I already have too many holiday items at home?
Instead of purchasing new decor or supplies, get creative with what you already have. Upcycle decorations, swap items with friends or family, or donate excess items to community centers or charities.
How can I manage social pressure to give extravagant gifts?
Explain to friends and family your commitment to more meaningful and sustainable gifting. Suggest gift exchanges, setting spending limits, or focusing on non-material gifts to ease expectations and align with your values. Don’t forget to ask them for their thoughts, you might be surprised to find they are in agreement about spending less.
Ready to make a change? Start small, buy less, and celebrate more meaningfully this season. Share your journey in the comments below or tag us on social media to inspire others!
Photo by Sueda Dilli on Pexels.
Photo by Sueda Dilli: https://www.pexels.com/photo/handcrafting-a-festive-holiday-wreath-296338Pexe
Photo by Sueda Dilli: https://www.pexels.com/photo/handcrafting-a-festive-holiday-wreath-29633894/