I don't buy into the whole consumerism stuff really. (mainly because I don't have kids - apart from my wife who can do a pretty good impersonation of a 12 year old)

When I buy gifts, it is for birthdays and such. And it is usually something useful for the recipient - like a pair of really good headphones for my wife. She has hearing issues so these really help her in her job as an interpreter.

But as for stocking up on plastic junk - not my cup of tea. I have enough plastic junk thank you.

We don't do Halloween, or most of the other hallmark holidays. I'll get my wife some flowers or take her out to dinner for valentines sometimes because we both like doing that. We also go out when it is not a holiday too.

I laugh when I go into the supermarket in January and the hot cross buns for Easter are already on the shelves. You really have to wonder at people's greed.