My take on Christmas shopping: let's create a new conversation please!

"Have you completed your Christmas shopping yet?"  Have YOU also been asked this question lately? and by lately, I mean since November 1st?  This has got to be THE question I have received the most in the last month. From my hairdresser and friends to store clerks and strangers, it seems that everyone around us gets caught up in a ridiculous consumption frenezy or some strange kind of competition to declare with pride and honour that they have done everything on time (more on that later on) and they can now relax for the holiday season. It should be noted that I have observed that the more ahead of schedule people seem to be with completing their Christmas shopping, the prouder they are... I have come to the conclusion that there must exists a badge of some kind or reward out there for these people, but I have yet to find it...  Call me old-fashioned, but I am a big fan of the era depicted in the story "A Christmas Carol" or "Little Women" whereby it is not about major consumption, but families, courage over adversity, and their joy over the ability to come together if only for a great meal. As a matter of fact, one of my colleagues who is now approaching retirement, has recently stated that his only wish for Christmas is that his children visit so they can enjoy one another's company. In our household, we keep it as light as possible:  Santa brings one or two gifts at the most (depending on what has been asked) on Christmas day (not before) and fills my children's stockings. That's it. We as parents buy some clothing and books and nothing else is needed because by the time grand-parents and other family members or friends have also given their gifts, there is ample abundance.  I actually sometimes wish for a comeback of the oranges to be the lucky gift one received in their stockings, simply because I am fed up with the consumption that goes on around us at a frantic pace while so many in the world go hungry. Do not get me wrong, I keep my thoughts and comments to myself with respect to others who use Christmas as the opportunity to shower their loved ones with gifts, but I do have a problem with the fact that we, as a society, are creating a new norm. It is now expected to have your Christmas shopping done earlier and earlier. It is now the norm to shop on Black Fridays or other coloured-theme day just because somewhere in America, some clever marketing person created this buzz to liquidate store inventory (when does this trend end by the way? This is the 3rd weekend in a row that I am receiving so-called Black friday related emails or flyers!). And to my great distress, it also appears to be the norm to just buy more and more and more! And marketers (which I am guilty of being one) use those emotional buttons to ensure you will fall for those so-called deals while imposing their shipping deadlines or limited inventory on all of us, yet still holding Boxing day sales events to liquidate even more stuff??? Something is wrong with this picture.   Now that I have ranted a bit, what is my answer to the now famous question (regarding being done with Christmas shopping) might you wonder?  "I was not aware I was supposed to be done with my Christmas shopping. Christmas is on December 25th is it not?" I typically enjoy hearing the various responses to that, but more often than not, there are no comebacks. Just a variety of facial expressions expressing surprise, discontentement, or disapproval and then, the topic of conversation can move on to other much more important matters, like focusing on efforts from real individuals such  as my friend Monique Poirier who got inspired to launch a last minute campaign to help women in need at Crossroads for Women  on Christmas day.   Isn't that capturing the true essence of giving and the spirit of Christmas? To all people working in the retail industry, I get it: this is a way -in your mind or your bosses' mind- to relate to clients and making conversation. The truth is, it only creates anxiety and stress for the recipients of your question. Why not talk about the efforts your organization is doing for a worthy cause? Or better yet, why not ask what will make this Holiday season special? Now that is a conversation worth having.