Over Consumption

I am a consumer.  I’m a retailers dream come true.  After over-consuming a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with family plus two students too far from home, my daughter and nephew and I headed to the mall for deals.  We purchased exactly what we were looking for at a nice discount. But the mall and the stores were relatively empty, not a single long line anywhere.  Good for us, but I wonder about the economy where they expect the average person will spend $900 on Christmas this year.  I’ll spend half of that and I’m still consuming too much.

The following morning, I left the house at dawn to make my rounds at the local Target, Michaels, and Kohls.  Again, I had specific items in mind, including toys for charity and I-Tunes gift cards at a discount.  I was able to purchase each of the items I went for at a reasonable discount and with the added incentive to return with either discount coupons  or Kohls cash.  I will spend the $30 in Kohls cash.

I don’t need much, but I like too much, and I definitely have too much. In my defense, I think my DNA has something to do with it.   I am a visual person and I find great joy in beautiful things like art, architecture, clothing, jewelry, and décor.  I’ve come by this honestly.  As a nine year old, my mother allowed me to decorate my own bedroom complete with painting walls, refinishing furniture,  making curtains, and buying accessories.  She then allowed me to decorate the family bathroom.  I took sewing classes as a young child and by the end of junior high I was making all my own clothes, including hats.  As a 10 year old, I would walk, skateboard, or take the bus to the Los Angeles Museum of Art and spend the day there alone, browsing the artwork. The docents knew me and were kind.  I spent my first study abroad in western Europe to study art, architecture, and culture.  After college, I went to design school to earn a certificate in interior design.  This love of beautiful lines and colors and patterns make me particularly vulnerable to retailers.  Show me a beautiful purse and I have to have it if the price is right and I don’t have to go into debt for it.

So, I have way too much stuff.  And my husband makes sure I feel guilty about it when he has to bring down my 42 boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic we had built in the garage specifically for this purpose.  This year, my son in law graciously brought them down while he was out golfing.  But I didn’t escape my husband’s criticism.  He is right of course.  And so this year, I’ve committed to getting rid of some of my Christmas stuff.  Goodwill will love me as much as the retailers!

One of the things I buy each year is a Christmas pin during the Black Friday sale.  After my post Thanksgiving dinner purchase at Macys, I now have 50 Christmas pins!  That is more pins than there are days to wear them during the holiday season.  So, I laid them all out and decided to get rid of every pin that wasn’t a favorite, meaning a pin I would gladly pass over to wear a different pin.  Goodwill is going to receive 10 Christmas pins.  I hope someone will enjoy them.                                             

I’m taking my time decorating the house this year, too.  In fact, I’ve decided not decorate to the full extent I do each year.  Maybe, I’m just a bit tired.  My decision was met with an objection from my daughter and her husband who are staying with us through the weekend.  So, I’ll do a little more than I planned, but a whole lot less than usual.  I’m using that time I would have spent decorating to decide what to give away.  I already have boxes filled with Christmas items I’m giving to Goodwill.  Some really good stuff will be available just in time for the holidays for consumers like me with fewer financial resources or for those who are expert bargain hunters. Let the trimmed down holiday season begin!