Uncommon Sense

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Occupy Xmas?
   
Aside from being a pretty ugly handle, the new Adbusters campaign strikes me as overly ambitious.
   
Asking people to hold off on shopping for a day on Buy Nothing Day, also known as "Black Friday," is a pretty cool idea. On the day after American Thanksgiving, people are encouraged to refrain from partaking in the biggest consumer-spending orgy of the year.
   
This year, Adbusters used Buy Nothing Day as a kickoff for the Occupy Xmas campaign, which is a blend of Buy Nothing Day and the Occupy Wall Street movement that has the 99% railing against the richest 1% by creating tent cities in major urban centres.
   
I’m all for a good protest but asking people to stay away from retailers during the holidays is a bit much.
   
Adbusters co-founder Kalle Lasn believes Christmas is a stale exercise where we are basically forced by society to spend money, thereby perpetuating unfair economic situations and rabid consumerism.
   
"It’s been an empty, soulless kind of ritual that very, very few people enjoy," Lasn said of Christmas on VancouverSun.com on Nov. 23. Of course, Lasn also admitted that he doesn’t expect people to buy nothing; he’d just like them to buy less.
   
I’m going to have to disagree with Lasn, even if I understand his point. I can’t stand going to the mall and I can’t stand standing in line to pay for something. I hate trying to find parking spots at Polo Park. I revile crowds, especially when they’re pushing me to get to a crappy door-crasher-special item.
   
But I like giving people gifts.
   
It’s not about the money or even the effort. It’s about remembering the people in your life who are special to you. Lasn and the Adbusters crew would probably agree with me on that, but then they’d ask why I need to purchase a gift for my friend. Couldn’t I just give him or her a handshake and a smile? I suppose, but I don’t want to.
   
I want to give the people in my life something as a token of appreciation, and I don’t see a way around buying something. I suppose I could make a nice card, but I’d still have to buy the pen and paper so, if you get technical, I’m still a part of the corporate machine.
   
The weirdness is really found here: Black Friday is about shopping, period. Christmas is generally about shopping for others. Of course, we all find a few "gifts for self" at this time of year, but really, most of the bows go on boxes meant for others.
   
And that’s in keeping with the spirit of the holidays, at least as far as I understand it. Do something for someone else. Donate to a hamper. Give to Winnipeg Harvest. Throw some cash in a kettle at the mall. Give your friend something he or she will really appreciate.
   
Of course, you don’t have to be King Consumer and buy all sorts of useless shit, running up a nice credit-card debt as you do it. You can be sensible and prudent and financially responsible. Perhaps make some better decisions on gifts, and maybe even scale things back. Maybe just have a great big wonderful dinner instead.
   
But if you want to buy someone a gift, do it. It’s Christmas.
   
Mike Warkentin shops online.