From intriguing light displays to the ginormous bows and candy canes lining downtown street posts, to appreciating the general cheer in the air, there are many ways to celebrate this beautiful time of year. However, it seems the act of excessive consumption has rapidly become a staple of the holiday season —  it’s time we question that. 

It has been estimated that, in 2020, the average Canadian spent $1,276 during the holiday season. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly one sixth of the estimated yearly tuition cost for an Arts and Science student paying Canadian student tuition at the University of Saskatchewan. 

All that shopping puts Canada in third place globally for average holiday spending per person, right after the United States and United Kingdom. 

The fact that shopping has ended up becoming such a massive part of the holidays is quite concerning. What does it say about our society, and us as individuals, if the holiday season becomes solely about what we buy? 

But, it’s important to remember that the decisions we make not only affect us. 

A major problem with our purchases is in the carbon intensive ways that the things we consume are produced and transported.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology found that individual household consumption, excluding businesses, government or industries, accounts for 60 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and 50 to 80 per cent of total land, material and water use. 

These statistics force us, as individuals, to take a step back and reflect on just how far reaching excessive purchases can be. 

We can’t possibly have conversations about taking action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and also consume excessive amounts of stuff that ends up being stored on our shelves rather than used meaningfully. 

But are we willing to change?

A recent survey by Pew Research Center found that upwards of 72 per cent of people polled in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region were worried about the personal impacts of climate change in their lifetime. 

Despite this concern, Deloitte, a consulting firm, reports that 73 per cent of retail executives expect higher spending this holiday season. 

So how can we do better? 

For starters, let us do a better job of asking whether a purchase is meaningful or not. At the store or the virtual checkout, ask yourself — is this really something I, or the person I’m shopping for, need? Will they still value it come January?

Sometimes it can be easy to get carried away with the idea of giving someone a physical object as the only way to demonstrate care and love. 

However, a gift doesn’t have to be something with a barcode. A homemade craft, baked goods or just a heartfelt note can be just as, if not more, special. 

One person can’t change everything, but we can all do something. This holiday, with every gift we give, let us meaningfully redefine what the holidays have become about 

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This op-ed was written by a University of Saskatchewan undergraduate student and reflects the views and opinions of the writer. If you would like to write a reply, please email opinions@thesheaf.com. Vaidehee Lanke is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying bioinformatics and is the Opinions Editor at The Sheaf Publishing Society. 

Photo: _ PokemonaDeChroma _ via Flickr