11.30.15
What would the holiday season feel like if you don't battle other Walmart shoppers for a Star Wars action figure or click, click, click all night to find the perfect gift online for the incredibly imperfect Uncle Fred?
Before you say, "bah, humbug!" to the idea of a gift-less holiday, think about it—a lot of Americans do. Roughly two million US households have dropped out of holiday gift spending altogether, the 2014 Survey of Affluence and Wealth from Time Inc. and YouGov revealed (this data was not measured this year). That means that nearly 9% of American families will not participate in holiday gift-giving.
Why do nearly 10% of Americans say "no" to the dress and the fragrance and the new video game? No surprise that for many, it comes down to money. Nearly one in four Americans say that the holidays are too expensive, according to a Pew Research Center poll. That same poll revealed that one in three Americans say they dislike the commercialism and materialism of the holidays.
Could it be that gift-free Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa is in the cards? Probably not; after all, it's easier to overnight a new sweater to that annoying Uncle Fred than it is to have a 20-minute conversation with the old geezer!
Before you say, "bah, humbug!" to the idea of a gift-less holiday, think about it—a lot of Americans do. Roughly two million US households have dropped out of holiday gift spending altogether, the 2014 Survey of Affluence and Wealth from Time Inc. and YouGov revealed (this data was not measured this year). That means that nearly 9% of American families will not participate in holiday gift-giving.
Why do nearly 10% of Americans say "no" to the dress and the fragrance and the new video game? No surprise that for many, it comes down to money. Nearly one in four Americans say that the holidays are too expensive, according to a Pew Research Center poll. That same poll revealed that one in three Americans say they dislike the commercialism and materialism of the holidays.
Could it be that gift-free Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa is in the cards? Probably not; after all, it's easier to overnight a new sweater to that annoying Uncle Fred than it is to have a 20-minute conversation with the old geezer!