Holiday Consumerism | The Green Parent

To Spend or Not To Spend

“The competition for kids’ mind share is intense…
Everything from Disney Princess to That’s So Raven
to Pirates of the Caribbean we position as a lifestyle brand,
and we are able to drive that lifestyle message through product.”
— Jim Fielding, executive vice president of global retail, sales, and marketing,
Disney Consumer Products*

With Thanksgiving over, the winter holiday season has officially begun. Tis the season for caroling, holiday parties, decorations, gingerbread houses, dreidel games, and of course, lots and lots of shopping. My last post, The Green Parent’s 2007 Holiday Gift Guide, was aimed at helping you spread the holiday cheer without selling your soul. I hope this list gives you plenty of ideas to get you started on your shopping list. But I also felt it was necessary to mention the deeper issue here, which is whether or not you even need to buy new things in the first place…to spend or not to spend.

As a Green Parent, you may be hoping to curb the consumerism a bit and celebrate the holidays without mounds upon mounds of presents. With the latest toy recall scares, you may also want to steer your children away from certain brands and/or styles of toys that are produced under questionable conditions.

But this can be difficult to do when your child is clamoring for the toys they see advertised on TV, in stores, on their friends, and even in their schools. Because each year, in an effort to grab your attention and earn your dollars, retailers and manufacturers usher in a seemingly endless bombardment of advertising aimed at you (of course) and also at your children. So kids at a younger and younger age are “branded”, and drawn to the logos and characters they see on everything from their diapers to their utensils.

Conscious consumerism is the focus of a non-profit agency called The Center For the New American Dream. This year, they have launched a holiday blog called Holiday Parenting Tips in an effort to help parents “navigate the highly commercial holiday season as responsibly as possible.” This is a great place to start if you are looking for ways to have a great holiday season without breaking the bank or wreaking havoc on the planet.

You can also check out their brochure, “Tips For Parenting In A Commercial Culture”, to better understand the minds of the markerters who are targeting your children and to find tips for teaching your children the ABCs of advertising. (I found the quote at the top of this post, along with many others, in this brochure.)

I don’t like to be stressed at the holidays. Nor do I like to feel guilty. I plan to buy both of my children a number of presents this season, but I also vow to start teaching them both the true meaning of the holidays and the true meaning of all of those holiday ads!

*“License! 2005 Industry Annual Report,” (Advanstar Communications, October 2005), 45, www.licensemag.com/licensemag/data/articlestandard/licensemag/ 412005/184293/article.pdf.