Gift-giving traditions power dangerous overconsumption
As homes in Thousand Oaks are filled with festive holiday decorations and an abundance of gift-wrapped presents, landfills overflow with waste and sweatshop workers in third-world countries continue to be paid criminally low wages. As the demand for products increases every year, so does the exploitation of workers across the globe. America’s overconsumption skyrockets during the winter gift-giving holiday season, leading to dangerous levels of waste and carbon emissions, promoting the support of companies that use inhumane labor and material waste.
Overconsumption is the excessive use or purchase of goods beyond what is necessary for a sustainable or fulfilling life. In contrast to consumerism, which is the social system that promotes and conflates purchasing material goods with happiness, overconsumption implies that one’s needs have been fulfilled, and these purchases are directly contributing to resource depletion and waste. While both practices are wasteful, overconsumption is distinct in its inherent environmental impacts that go beyond a social need to conform.
In America, Christmas is a highly commercialized holiday, known for flashy decorations and giving gifts to children, friends and family. According to Adobe’s 2025 Holiday Shopping Forecast, there will be a projected “$253.4 billion in U.S. online holiday spending from November 1 to December 31.” While the bright colors and sheer amount of holiday-themed products are appealing to the eye, it is imperative not to overindulge in these seasonal offerings. Holiday-edition products specifically are wasteful in nature because they often cannot, or rather will not, be reused past January.
Furthermore, increased accessibility to holiday-related purchases via online shopping also impacts carbon emissions. According to a 2020 study by MIT, “online shopping during the holiday season increased carbon emissions by nearly 20% compared to average months.” Cargo ships and planes ramp up production due to the increased volume of products bought during the holiday season, negatively impacting the air quality with more trips to meet demand. Even holiday-related returns have a large environmental impact, with Climate News reporting that, “returns can add up to over 30 percent of the carbon emissions of the initial deliveries.”
Clothing is one of the most sold items during the holidays, and the number of clothes produced worldwide consistently increases each year. Forbes Magazine wrote, “During the last holiday shopping season, retail sales grew 4.2% and totaled $1.57 trillion.” It is also a direct example of fast fashion, the mass production of inexpensive, low-quality clothing, often to fulfill short-lived trends. Thus, piles of discarded clothes are shipped off to landfills and pollute the globe by releasing toxic chemicals into water and soil. What consumers may not be aware of is that the fast fashion market is run by sweatshops. Sweatshops are workplaces with illegal working conditions that exploit labor from their workers in exchange for very minimal wages. The workforce is typically composed of immigrants, children and trafficked persons and according to DoSomething.org, women make up 85 to 90% of sweatshop workers. Each swipe to buy a new blouse puts them in a worse place. Popular brands such as H&M, Forever 21 and SHEIN all use sweatshop labor to push out new clothing lines.
Instead of contributing to the fast fashion industry this holiday season, consider investing in clothing made by brands that practice ethical manufacturing processes. Compared to fast fashion, bringing traction to smaller businesses could be a better option for holiday shopping, both in terms of quality and ethicality.
Artificial Christmas trees are another notable topic in the conversation of the environmental effects of Christmas traditions. Although they can be reused by families for many years, artificial Christmas trees are estimated to take 500 years to decompose on average. The American Christmas Tree Association also reported that about 80 percent of artificial trees sold in the U.S. are shipped from China. Long-distance sales like these result in a stark increase of carbon emissions. A poll conducted by the association in October found that 83 percent of American families use artificial trees rather than real ones. Families are able to minimize the harmful effects of artificial Christmas trees by keeping one for more than 10 years.
Food waste is also a key issue during the holidays. According to Feeding America, a nonprofit that has over 200 food banks in the U.S., 38 percent of all food goes unsold or uneaten. This season promotes excessive consumption because of mainstream holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving that commercialize lively feasts. The eco-friendly alternative to discarding food is freezing leftovers, composting the scraps, or donating to a local food bank or shelter.
As sleigh bells ring and the “most wonderful time of the year” unfolds, it is essential to recognize one’s role as a consumer and the importance of making purchases mindfully. Although it may be tempting to overindulge, the holiday season is a time of giving. Consumers should aim to give to their community by avoiding the dreadful trend cycle, which tells them that they must always buy more. If one decides to shop mindfully, their carbon footprint will decrease as a result, and the massive problem of overconsumption will become more manageable, one person at a time.
