"Not only did online shopping make it much easier to buy things for ourselves (whether we needed them or not), but also it was much easier to buy things for other people. And that influx of stuff has also helped illuminate the very short life cycle of "thing I covet" to "dust collector" to "trash." Why would I spend money on a gift that's just going to end up in a landfill?"
"This may sound ridiculously obvious, but my goal with gift-giving is to find something that the recipient will appreciate and use. I want the gift to show that I was thinking about them and that I pay attention to their likes and dislikes. (Groundbreaking, I know.) But if you've ever gotten a sweater that is wildly the wrong size in a color best described as "baby diarrhea umber," you know not everyone adheres to such giving goals."
Mass-produced, cheaply made items and pervasive targeted ads have made gift-giving feel hollow and contributed to waste. Online shopping simplified impulse purchases for self and others, shortening the lifespan of many items from coveted to trash. Concern about landfill accumulation motivates reconsideration of gift choices. The anti-gift-guide approach recommends defining a personal gifting ethos focused on usefulness and recipient preferences. Thoughtful gifts should reflect attention to recipients' likes and needs. Gifting out of obligation can be reconsidered, and people can choose whom to give to and how much to participate in holiday exchanges.
Read at Fast Company
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