The celebration of Christmas in the contemporary context is deeply embedded in consumerism, but it doesn’t have to be.
As a child, my Christmas cheer was usually brought in the form of wrapped presents under the tree, spending the day with extended family and eating delicious food. Since my family celebrated Christmas outside of any religious context, my conception of Christmastime was inextricably linked to consumption.
In our largely secular context, the connection between Christmastime and consumerism is undeniably common in the West, so much so that it has made its way into Christmas-themed advertisements.
An overt example is Sephora’s controversial ad campaign with Mariah Carey this season. In a clip posted to Carey and Sephora’s respective Instagram pages, Carey is confronted by an elf who — after stealing her precious Sephora blush to pawn so he can “afford elf therapy” — declares that Christmas is cancelled this year, as he and the other elves are striking in protest of being overworked. Carey, standing in the position of the bourgeoisie to her elf proletariat, orders that the elves will not ruin Christmas with their labour strike, subsequently turning the elf into a snowman and then setting out to deliver Sephora gifts to all.
Needless to say, the advertisement was not received well. The post received comments criticizing the “audacity” the beauty company must have to circulate such a tone-deaf message as the exploitation of the working class worsens and humanitarian crises continue globally.
Unfortunately, this type of tone-deaf ad campaign from Sephora was more disappointing than surprising.
The message conveyed here encapsulates the core issues with embedding Christmas cheer in consumerism; in order for shelves to be lined with glittering new products ready to be wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree, countless groups of workers must be exploited along the way.
Though I recognize that it is virtually impossible to live a life without consumption in a capitalist society, I do think that there are small choices that can be made this Christmas season to recentre celebratory cheer in thoughtfulness, love and connection, instead of purchases, products and presents.
Before we even get to the day itself, many of those who celebrate Christmas begin by excitedly decorating their houses, infusing their space with the Christmas spirit. This is one of my favourite aspects of Christmastime; to me, any space is made cozier when it is strung with Christmas decorations.
However, the not-so-cozy aspect of Christmas decorations is their likelihood to harbour toxic — or even carcinogenic — chemicals. In a 2014 study conducted by The Ecology Center, wherein 69 decorative American holiday products were tested for hazardous chemicals, two thirds tested positive. These products harboured chemicals are linked to a slew of health and development issues, including cancer.
Inherent in the fact that American consumers are exposed to these chemicals through their holiday decoration traditions is that the workers who make the products are continuously exposed to such chemicals as a consequence.
Since holiday décor is subject to change according to whatever holiday aesthetic is trending by the time Christmas rolls around, it is not a reach to say that much of this toxic décor will likely end up in landfills, ending their life cycle by further polluting the environment.
Just as Toronto Community Housing suggests, opting to be creative and make your own holiday décor with household items that might end up in the trash otherwise will serve both the health of yourself and the environment.
On a similar note, I am particularly fond of making gifts myself. Not only is this a more personalized option for the gift receiver, but it also encourages an association between connection and creativity, instead of fueling connection through consumption. I can confidently say that I’ve been far happier to give gifts that I’ve made rather than ones consisting of trendy products that I’ve bought.
Once again, I recognize that creatively making gifts still requires consumption in that one needs supplies to create, but opting for a homemade gift demonstrates that buying the newest product isn’t all Christmas is about, which in turn brings Christmas cheer back to love and connection and away from consumption.
It is unrealistic to say that you can only have an “ethical” Christmas if all your décor and gifts are entirely sustainable and homemade. Many of us are struggling through an incredibly busy exam season while balancing work responsibilities on top of school as we head into the Christmas season, which takes away from the time needed to exercise creativity in an enjoyable way in advance of Christmas Day.
When recognizing the consumerist nature of Christmas, it is important to address that even the smallest acts are meaningful. Opting for some homemade décor or making a thoughtful, creative gift for a loved one instead of picking up the trendiest new product helps to reorient Christmas cheer in the care and connection it is supposed to occupy.
As the hype for Christmastime builds, remember that there’s more to Christmas than consumption. With roots in love and community, it is clear that the aspects of Christmas cheer that lay outside of consumption are the ones that make the holiday so special.