You may have already noticed how early holiday items are being sold at your local stores, the fourth of July glow sticks in June, the Halloween costumes sold in August, and the Christmas tree displays in September. We can already predict Valentine’s chocolates in December. Isn’t that annoying? Holidays used to bring people together, yet the attention has started to drift toward the products themselves.
These holidays are meant to be celebrated with loved ones. There needs to be a balance between making fun memories and the overconsumption of material items that make those memories happen. Events like Black Friday help create the illusion of great discounts, but the true discounts are when the stores need to push out their unsold items for the next seasonal shopping spree.
Similar items will most likely be found in the clearance section or at a significantly lower price in other stores. If items cannot be sold, they are destroyed and thrown out into landfills to protect the brand. This is a waste of materials, which can leach into the surrounding environment and cause irreversible damages.
Most fast fashion apps use sweatshop labor, and long exhausting hours in order to produce multiple garments fast enough to catch up with rising demand. Fads such as Labubus, a plush with mischievous characteristics, is a popular trend that had been turned into a collectors item. It has a wide range of color, expressions, and sizes, for the consumer to choose from. An emphasis on extremely rare varieties, which encourage collectors to add to their already existing treasure trove.
Access to the internet has made online shopping easier, as well as fast paced trends that thrive on dopamine hits to the brain, forever in search for the perfect item that will “change your life.” Wanting to purchase an item that might improve or add value to your every day, isn’t a bad thing in itself.
Our constant seeking of improvement was a tactic that helped us survive in the past. In modern times it is a program that has come to work against us, and we have to realize, that there are companies who will use your interests against you to encourage decisions like impulse purchases.
It can be damaging to yourself and your wallet, all while filling their pockets. Other than necessities, there is not a single product that is worth breaking the bank for.
When consumerism shifts the focus away from family gatherings and places importance on material items, you miss out on the magic that holidays and connection bring together.
