Holiday Shopping Stress Already Started? Group Suggests We Take a “Shopping Holiday” this Season
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) October 10, 2005
The unofficial ticker leading up to Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa has begun counting down the days remaining and most Americans have already received several pounds of shopping catalogs urging them to buy and spend in order to assure themselves of a festive and happy holiday season. Yet with 75 days remaining until the holidays, a group called Shopping Holiday is encouraging people to take a holiday from shopping this season, regardless of their religion, faith or financial circumstances.
“A shopping holiday is something everyone can take,” enthused Shopping Holiday founder, Heidi Wanken. “By saying no to the hustle and bustle, spending madness and chaos, you can say yes to the things that really matter and that we should be celebrating this time of the year – things like families, traditions, service, charity and compassion.”
The group recommends that participants determine a realistic figure that they can afford to allocate towards holiday spending. After accounting for “must-buy” gifts for children, relatives and miscellaneous holiday expenses, they recommend that holiday-goers split the remaining sum between two expenditures: their own financial security and gifts to charitable organizations and groups around the world.
With personal savings at record lows and credit card balances and delinquencies at all-time highs, Shopping Holiday is encouraging individuals and families to reduce debt or increase their savings while also sharing a significant portion of their holiday budget with those in need. There is no formula on how much to save and how much to give and holiday-goers are encouraged to make the decision based on their own circumstances and convictions. While some may choose to give all of their holiday budget to charitable organizations, others facing their own hardships may elect to reduce some high-interest debt in order to secure their own future while also sharing a portion with others in need. Since holiday-goers will not have to shop, wrap and ship all holiday season, they can spend their time helping others, making homemade gifts, gathering with loved ones and savoring the magic of the season.
“Excessive spending on holiday gifts is not connected to any of the religious traditions we celebrate during this time. While gifts are wonderful to give and receive, we have allowed them to become the focus instead of simply another part of the celebration,” Wanken observed. “Far too many of us lose sight of our budgets when the holidays roll around and we spend too much without much consideration for the future. Instead, we can choose to plan for our future while also sharing with others.”
Shopping Holiday launched its website, http://www.shoppingholiday.org, earlier this month for interested individuals to find out more about taking a holiday from shopping, look for alternatives to “shop till you drop,” plan their own shopping holiday, get suggestions on how to share their decision to take a shopping holiday with loved ones and research charities that they may consider supporting in lieu of traditional gifts.
“We are encouraging people to do something different this year and choose not just to spend money, but rather to spend time,” Wanken commented. “Spend time with family, friends and loved ones. Spend time helping others. Spend time making memories and sharing traditions – these will last far longer than another sweater or gadget!”
Media Contact:
Heidi Wanken
214/673-1720
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