By: Tara Belizaire
During these holidays, it’s important to remember what family is truly about. Whether your family is blood, friends or people who have supported you throughout your life journeys, the holidays are about gathering together and remembering those times, celebrating memories and celebrating life without the stresses of external conflicts. I know how exciting it is especially since I bet a lot of us shopped for Black Friday but it’s really important to keep in mind that overproduction and overconsumption are difficulties our society is struggling with today.
Overproduction and overconsumption are two things negatively impacting our environment. An article by Greenly Earth states, “Global Footprint Network, humanity is using resources at 1.7 times the Earth’s regeneration capacity. That means we’re effectively borrowing from the future - depleting forests, overfishing oceans, and burning through fossil fuels at an unsustainable rate. If everyone consumed like the average American, we’d need five Earths to meet global demand.”
With all of this in mind, we need to be conscious of what exactly we’re spending our money on and if it’s worth it. It is so much more sentimental and meaningful to give a gift from the heart, not based on how expensive it is or how many gifts you can give for the holidays. It’s about quality time and enjoying experiences with one another. Prioritizing quality time with family members over irrational spending releases many people from the stresses and concerns of debt. The article by Greenly Earth also mentions how we need to stop the throw-away mindset that satisfies short-term gratification.
National Roots Day, which is on December 23rd, is a day to commemorate and admire your traditions. Enjoy the presence and experience of having your family gathered together before the holidays start, getting into the mentality of what it’s really about preparing a mindset of humility and bliss in order to enjoy the company of everyone around you. Share stories with children and enjoy photos while baking cookies or playing in the snow. According to Local Nakamal, four great ways to celebrate Roots Day are: research your family tree, explore your hometown, and visit a museum. Take pictures throughout these moments and keep them in an album somewhere to always be able to look back on good times.
If you remember growing up, I could bet you could probably only remember five out of 20 of the toys you had growing up. And if I asked you where those toys are now, you would look at me like I was crazy. But that’s how overconsumption works. We buy things, we use them, we throw them away, and they pile up. Out of sight out of mind, but this mentality is the prime example why we are in this position today. According to a Forbes article, in just the past year, consumers have increased their spending by 5.9%.
It is crucial to keep in mind what really matters, particularly in these difficult times when there are a lot of starving people and people without families globally. We must keep in mind our origins and our present surroundings. However, I’m confident that if I asked you where your mother took you on your fifth birthday, you could tell me about what you ate, how you felt, the photos you took, and the friends you made there. These little moments are what count most. I am aware that parents may experience guilt when they are unable to fulfill their children’s every want. You should know you’re doing amazing and that your presence is more than enough. It goes beyond materialistic and tangible things. So this year give the gift of your time, your presence, and your love. That’s what they’ll remember 20 years from now.