I Didn’t Realize Just How Over-the-Top Holidays Can be Until I Moved to America
And how that collides with my Nordic mindset
Holidays in the United States are no joke. You walk into Target the day after Halloween, and they’ve already managed to replace all the skulls and witch costumes with stars, Santa, and all his reindeers.
The morning after Thanksgiving, pumpkins are tossed out and replaced with Christmas lights lighting up homes and trees. People even pay big money to have their trees professionally done for the holidays, if you can believe it.
Holidays equal profits
According to National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday spending in the United States has the potential to beat records this year, as the NRF has predicted that holiday sales during November and December will grow between 8.5 percent and 10.5 percent over 2020 to between $843.4 billion and $859 billion in 2021.
Not surprisingly, online shopping is up as well. NRF predicts that online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, will increase between 11 percent and 15 percent to a total of between $218.3 billion and $226.2 billion driven by online purchases.
These numbers seem insane to me. Maybe we spend more because we are in a different position than last year. Vaccines are out, also for children five and up. Things are moving forward, small steps at a time. We seem to have finally managed to start seeing the end of the long-dragged COVID-19 pandemic tunnel.
Does that mean we should spend more?
Plastic overkill
I can’t write this story without mentioning the photo up there. It’s from one of our first Christmas holidays in this country. My family and I went into the city to go ice skating, and I came across this plastic Christmas tree. I mean, who needs a tree so large you can’t even capture it in a photo? The photo is taken in New York City, but still.
It’s a little overkill for my, as you probably know by now, Scandinavian taste.
And then there are all the gift exchanges. Secret Santas in schools and daycares. A small $5 plastic gift here and there. There is just so much stuff, everywhere.
Do we need it?
I have always been a fan of experiences over things. But living in America, where things are just such a big part of holidays, it’s hard to maintain the minimalistic lifestyle I treasure and love. The spending mentality collides with my Nordic mindset.
After living here for a few years, there are some things I do to try to keep that mindset of mine alive and well in the midst of overloads of gifts and plastic and glam during the holidays. It’s hard, but I try.
It starts with the tree
A real, quaint tree. With festive and simple ornaments. Nothing over-the-top glamorous or flashy, Just an adorable, good-smelling Christmas tree with a star topping it, and with room for some gifts under the tree. Few things beat that natural woody smell of fresh pine needles.
A recent survey with 2,000 American parents with children ages 17 and younger showed that people who purchase real Christmas trees are more likely to highly value creating new holiday traditions with family than those who prefer artificial trees. Participants also said getting a Christmas tree was their number-one favorite holiday tradition growing up, and continues to be one of their favorites to experience with their own children.
It’s about memories, crafting out some quality family time to be out in the fresh air, finding that perfect Christmas tree.
Local shops
During the holidays, I do my best to keep some distance from all those large chain stores. They stress the crap out of me. December can be so ridiculously stressful if you want to keep up with everything.
According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 38 percent of people said their stress level increases during the holidays.
Thankfully, I live in an adorable little small town where they have a ton of local, independent shops. When I have time, rather than trying to rush to find some deals at a chain store, I grab a coffee and stroll down Main Street in the adorable town I get to call home. Make an experience out of it rather than something to cross off a to-do list.
The best time to live in a small town, hands down, is during holidays.
Lasting things
And while I’m there, I am looking for gifts that last.
I am not going to be that parent that doesn’t bring in a gift to my child’s daycare when they have Secret Santa and all those gift exchanges.
However, I can limit the plastic, if not a lot, a little bit. I can support local shops while purchasing holiday gifts with the environment in the back of my head. There are books, games, wooden toys. Things that are more friendly to the earth.
Holidays in the United States can be fun. But they can also be a lot. They can be over-the-top, big-time. No wonder we are extra stressed during the holidays, literally being surrounded by commercialism and pressure to spend from all angles.
That’s not what holidays are about. They’re about family creating memories together, they’re about faith and traditions, they’re about sharing a good meal with good company. Sharing life together.