Watch this video… it will explain it much better than I ever could.
I’ll give you the numbers again… estimated cost to fix the worldwide water issue: $10 Billion. Average amount spent by Americans on Christmas each year: $450 Billion.
I know the typical reaction when anyone ever asks you for money. This is much more than that. The first petition this organization makes is to make Christmas less about “stuff” and more about relationships. I would much rather spend time with friends than get some silly gift that someone felt obligated to buy. Sure, it feels good at the moment to get things, but the only way to keep feeling good is to keep getting things and getting things. Unless you get a dog or something, the gift’s initial appeal will probably fade fairly quickly.
The second idea this video proposes is to take some of the money we save by not buy useless gifts for everyone we know, and buy something USEFUL for people who truly need it. Think of the impact America could make if it weren’t for the consuming mindset of modern consumerism: stuff makes you happy, and there’s always new and better stuff to get.
Unfortunately, all the big companies and store chains do a very, very good job with their Christmas marketing schemes. We buy into it, literally, and the result is $450 billion of purchased Christmas memories.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are many of you out there who have great family Christmas traditions. That’s wonderful! Keep it up. I doubt there are many people that could say they didn’t buy an obligatory gift this year for at least one person. Understad this: the actual act of purchasing someone a gift is not bad. I am not suggesting that everyone sends their presents back and just bakes cookies for three days with their families. Gifts are fine… LESS gifts is what this organization suggests.
The organization’s website can be reached here. Take a look over their vision and mission, it’s definitely something to consider. We have the power to drastically impact the world for good. It just takes a little self-denial.
