The holidays that stretch across October, November and December are what make the “ber” months the favorites of the year. But while these holidays are full of fun activities, they often exacerbate the overconsumption that plagues our society.
Each month faces its own issues: Boo Baskets, Halloween costumes, Black Friday sales and giant gift hauls all encourage consumers to drain their bank accounts for the spirit of the season.
But this is not just an essay of complaints against overconsumption; it is a guide on how to avoid and overcome it, month by month.
October
October, though it has already passed, has two major issues I want to address: Boo Baskets and Halloween costumes.
Boo Baskets are often filled with seasonal items, which can be fun, but it shortens the lifespan of the item. To fully address Boo Baskets, I have to give credit to a creator who influenced my viewpoint on the subject, Rachel Louise. She takes other creators’ Boo Basket videos and reviews them, offering commentary and cost analysis. Her content aims to make it clear that the overly expensive and often unnecessary gifts are not realistic and should not be the standard of the season.
My advice: If you like the idea of a Boo Basket, and decide you want to make one next fall, fill it with a couple of useful and thoughtful things that the recipient will actually use or need, and keep the cost realistic.
The other major issue for October overconsumption is Halloween costumes. As fast fashion continues to dominate, costumes have become more disposable than ever. Cheaply made pieces flood the market each year and are tossed aside when the holiday ends. Consumers spend hundreds of dollars on places like SHEIN, buying dozens of low-cost items for multiple outfits, each of them worn once and tossed aside as quickly as they were bought.
My advice: You don’t need to give up elaborate costumes to stop overconsuming next Halloween, you just need to shop somewhere else. Many thrift stores, both big chains like Goodwill and local shops, offer Halloween costumes in October – a cheaper and more sustainable alternative. You can also create hundreds of costumes with clothing you already own or wear daily.
November
Black Friday, on the surface, doesn’t seem too bad, especially when compared to some of the surrounding holidays. In reality, it is one of the worst offenders of the issue. The concept of the day is about giving consumers the best deals possible and encouraging them to do all of their big shopping in one day. But the day has become so much more, with Black Friday deals expanding throughout the month of November, encouraging consumers to “get it before it’s gone” all month long.
Not only is the barrage of advertising overwhelming, but it is often very effective. Sales create a sense of urgency that encourages shoppers to buy quickly, which doesn’t allow them to pause and think about whether or not they actually need a product. Not only this, but sales are often not what they seem. Many companies hike up prices before Black Friday, making big discounts look appealing, but misleading their consumers on how much of a deal they’re actually getting.
My advice: Take time to think about purchases; impulse purchases are often the regretted ones. Additionally, look at prices throughout the year, especially for the more expensive items, to make sure you’re really getting as good a deal as you think.
December
TikTok has turned Christmas into a showcase of gifts, making the holiday feel more focused on material things than love and spirit. The normalized trend of the season is to showcase massive and unrealistic gift hauls, which overall cause more harm than good. Mountains of gifts under the tree look fun, but adults see the stress and cost behind this sparkle.
My advice: Focus on quality over quantity. A meaningful gift, no matter the cost, is always better than an expensive and meaningless gift. In that same vein, one more expensive gift can be better than many cheaper gifts, all that matters is the meaning and care put into it.
Stocking stuffers are a big contributor to this holiday waste. Novelty makeup products, themed knick-knacks and candy can be fun, but if they don’t fit the recipient’s interests or tastes, they fall flat and are simply a waste of money.
My advice: Fill the stocking with things the recipient actually will need or want. Little trinkets are great if they’re personal, but I’d skip them if not. Again, focus on making gifts personal and meaningful, and this will often help reduce costs too.
It is incredibly easy to be overwhelmed by all of the sales and trends flying at you across multiple holidays. Something I do that helps me fight overconsumption across all holidays is to take a breath, take a step back and evaluate purchases before I buy something. Throughout the season, remember to focus on the joys of the season, not the purchases you think you need to make.