Presents are only our seventh best Christmas thing, so don't waste money on them

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

Studies have found the merriest elements of Christmas.

OPINION: I can only remember one Christmas present from last year.

My elder daughter made me some of the most gorgeous home-made iced biscuits.

Every other present faded from memory as fast as the cake (decorated by my other daughter) disappeared down happy gullets. If the biscuits had been the only present for me under the tree, I wouldn't have cared.

I have proof many people feel the same way, cementing my belief that if New Zealand did without any shop-bought Christmas presents for any person over the age of 15, there'd be no net happiness loss. There might even be a gain.

Homemade presents can be awesome, such as these homemade biscuits iced by reporter Rob Stock's daughter.

* Christmas comes but once a year- between October 15 and December 25

* Could you do a one-present Christmas?**

Some polling from the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) shows exchanging gifts is only the seventh best thing about Christmas.

Christmas presents are officially our seventh best thing about Christmas.

CFFC told people they could choose three things they looked forward to most at Christmas.

The top six ranked things were: time with family (62 per cent), summer weather (37 per cent), time off work/rest (33 per cent), food/eating/drinking/cooking (29 per cent), time with friends (20 per cent), and Chirstmas spirit/love/joy/peace (17 per cent).

Togetherness, family, friends. This is Christmas.

Just 13 per cent included giving or exchanging gifts in their top three best things about Christmas.

What's more, when asked for the things people hated most about Christmas, the first two ranked hates were: commercialisation and 'money/too expensive'.

Humans have loved a good hedonistic social celebration ever since the dawn of society, but as Christmas is a strain on the budget, it makes perfect sense to pick the best bits out of the Christmas menu, and drop the less-loved ones.

For me Christmas is decorating a real Christmas tree, eating home-made mince pies, icing and decorating a home-made Christmas cake, heroically getting a turkey onto the table, and then setting fire to a home-made Christmas pudding.

Families should also draw comfort from the fact that if they do try to dial back the presents, they are not alone.

Of the people CFFC surveyed, four in 10 people had agreed family spending limits on gifts, a quarter had agreed no gifts at all, a fifth were doing secret Santa, and a fifth would give at least one home-made gift.

I'm always a bit dubious about what people say in surveys, but the CFFC data shows people striving to keep Christmas present excess in check.

But while it is easy to turn off the TV, set the ad-blocker, and stay out of the malls, it's harder to resist internal family Christmas oppression.

People should have a mind for others in their circle, and not inadvertently impose their Christmas excesses on them.

Among the people who find Christmas most stressful are those trying to stick within a budget within a wider, enthusiastic Christmas giving circle.

GOLDEN RULES:

* Ignore other people's ideas of Christmas

* Focus on happiness per dollar spent

* Make it a family celebration