In light of the holiday season, some consumers are feeling the pressure and disdain of constant shopping and gift-giving. In the r/Anticonsumption subreddit, one user posted about the volume of pointless things that fill the shelves this time of year.
"I was at the mall yesterday and it struck me how many products exist with the sole purpose of being gifted," @Prudent_Director_168 said, mentioning novelty socks and mugs, lotion sets, and gag gift items.
"These are things no one would buy for themselves. They are low quality, and their only purpose is to fill the manufactured 'need' to provide someone with a gift," they continued. "The person who receives this item will likely attempt to use it out of guilt, and then will stow it away until eventually tossing it. What a waste."
It's an increasingly common sentiment that people feel during the holidays, with more adopting underconsumption and even minimalist lifestyles.
The holiday gifting cycle happens for many reasons, such as the social comparison theory, according to recent research. A lot of consumers want less stuff and recognize how harmful it is to the environment, but they don't know how to break free of these gift expectations.
Social media has been beneficial for encouraging these conversations and educating individuals on where to start. Sustainable shopping at Christmas can lead to meaningful engagement with climate solutions and policy year-round, driving progress toward a cleaner, safer future for all.
The Reddit post sparked such a conversation and had commenters debating the merits of these types of gifts and whether they serve a purpose for certain occasions.
One user commented, "If we did away with this whole [Christmas] gift giving thing we would be less wasteful as a society. The idea that we must hand over gifts for all these days for [grown] people and every kid we know kills me."
Other users mentioned gifts in this category that they actually enjoy, with one commenting, "Silly socks are one of the very few novelty/useless gifts that I'm perfectly OK with getting [because] at least I'll use them."
Another said, "Last year, after all the Target 'gifts' went on clearance, I bought myself a really nice pocket knife for less than $5. It's great and I intend to use it for many years to come. I do agree with you though. It sucks that these gifty themed items get thrown to the back of the store for a few bucks and most of them end up in the landfill."
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