Anti-Capitalist Holiday Gift Guide
It’s back. Love it or hate it, the holiday season brings with it a ton of spending, over-production, and extreme waste. One of Central Florida Mutual Aid’s core values is that we believe that people and our planet are infinitely more valuable than profit. We try to show this through our actions, collectively and individually, which in part means being good stewards of our funds and doing what we can to prevent our funds from being used by nefarious players. We know that the planned obsolescence and extreme mass production of goods is literally killing our planet and the people involved in those industries. We also know that American households generate 23% more tons of waste in December than in any other month. Our global systems are extremely complex, and there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. So why bother? Because it’s important to live according to one’s values and every action has an impact. We know voting with our wallets works, because BDS and other economic tactics are effective at producing change.
This guide is not intended to make anyone feel bad or point fingers. We simply want folx to know that we’ve all got agency and some options, especially when it comes to the ever-growing holiday season. How can we expect change if we don’t strategically change our behavior?
So here is our Anti-Capitalist Holiday Gift Guide with a few ideas about how to have a good holiday season while resisting capitalism:
Lead by example and tell people what you want or don’t want.
Not specifically, but that you don’t want anything new or mass produced, or that you prefer baked goods or a home-cooked meal, or a free pet sitter for your next trip.
If you’re feeling the pressure to buy a lot of gifts or spend a lot of money, talk with your family and friends about how you’re feeling and see if you can come to a mutual arrangement that alleviates the pressure and saves money.
When purchasing gifts, buy from small vendors/businesses/artists instead of corporations.
Buying locally also supports your local economy, and buying from friends supports your immediate community.
Give secondhand or vintage gifts. This can sometimes be time-consuming or more expensive than purchasing new, but it’s a great option in some cases. It extends the lifespan of the item and reduces overall waste. You may also be considered very cool by the recipient.
Acts of service make great gifts! Like free baby/pet/house sitting, home cleaning, body doubling, food prep, etc.
Lean into childhood gift giving ideas. Remember when you had zero money but gobs of creativity? You can still do that (though hopefully your skills have leveled up a bit). Handmade gifts, custom coupon books, or even something really, really cheesy … as long as it’s meaningful.
Shift from material gifts to experiential. A picnic or brunch with homemade goodies and a cuppa can be a more meaningful gift than the latest trend destined for a landfill. Kayaking, going to a concert, and skill sharing are some other ideas that come to mind.
Similarly, you can gift an annual membership to a club/group, maker space, local gallery/museum, tool library, etc. This is win-win because it also supports local groups and venues.
Finally, you could consider a pause on gift-giving. Feeling obligated to give a gift is antithetical to the entire idea of gift-giving (which should be from the heart). When doing this, communication is key because it could harm a relationship if someone is expecting business as usual and suddenly you’re not playing by the rules.
***Side note that wrapping paper and tissue paper are NOT recyclable (though tissue paper is compostable), so consider reusing gift wrap or using furoshiki (traditional Japanese wrapping cloths used to wrap and/or transport goods). The bonus is that the furoshiki itself is also a gift.