Christmas without commerce: Celebrating without shopping

Jaiy Dickson’s family has an unorthodox Christmas tradition: no gift giving.  

For years, the Boston-based law student would pool resources with her sister and stepfather to buy her mother appliances such as a KitchenAid mixer. In turn, Ms. Dickson’s mother would buy her adult daughters a select item, such as a winter coat. But the family members began running out of ideas for bigger gifts. So, a few years ago, they collectively decided to stop giving presents altogether. As a result, her family’s outlook on what makes the Yuletide season meaningful has shifted.

“We get to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company. We’re thankful for each other,” says Ms. Dickson during a Zoom call. “My friend actually calls it ‘celebrating capitalism’ rather than ‘celebrating Christmas.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m not celebrating capitalism this year.’”