by Courtney Wight '26 on December 11, 2025
Opinion - Campus
Christmas time is coming around, which means fun movies, baking, and decorating. Yet, I find myself stressed for the upcoming weeks, and not just from finals. Christmas time also means buying gifts for loved ones. Choosing and buying gifts can be stressful! While Christmas gifts are a central part of the holiday season, the excessive waste that goes along with buying gifts is often overlooked.
Whether it is a new book for your brother or another sweater for your grandma, gift giving to most people means buying something new. Choosing which gift to buy can be hard to figure out. No one wants to open a present and see something they’re never going to use, creating a need to balance buying things people actually want without making it boring. I am ashamed to admit it, but I have reached the age where a new pair of socks for Christmas is actually a great gift. While they may not be flashy, like a new iPad or Xbox, they will be used constantly.
Another tip to reduce waste could be to not buy a “thing” at all. Instead, think about giving an experience. I love watching musicals, and my mom likes to give me tickets to see a show on Broadway as part of my Christmas gift. This can also be something as small as gifting your family a Spotify Premium subscription. Again, while this might not be the most glamorous gift, physically sitting underneath the tree, it will definitely be used consistently throughout the year.
It can also be hard to find a gift for everyone, especially in large groups. To reduce gift-giving stress, try to organize a Secret Santa-style gift exchange if possible. This will reduce the overall amount of gifts purchased, not only helping your wallet but also leading to better gifts. For example, if you need to buy all of your cousins’ gifts, you probably cannot spend as much on each person. However, in this case, you can focus on finding one really good gift for a singular person, hopefully reducing some holiday stress.
Finally, try to find gifts locally if possible. Whether it is going to your local thrift store or Christmas market, there are amazing secondhand and handmade gifts for the Christmas season. It may be easier to simply order everything on Amazon, but a truly thoughtful gift cannot be chosen and shipped overnight. I recently visited the Providence Flea Market and found an amazing gift for my sister. While I could have bought something similar on Amazon, it felt better to support a local artist who is actually passionate about their work rather than a corporation.
So this holiday season, try your best to find a thoughtful, useful, and hopefully locally purchased gift for as many of your loved ones as possible.