"happiness delivered"?

I received a catalog in the mail yesterday, and on the front was the caption "happiness delivered." That really bothered me and caused me to think about the American consumerist society. Why do we think that having more stuff will make us happy? Sure, if you don't have the essentials that you need then getting those essentials will make someone happier. But once you have what you really need does having more make you happier? I guess that I have thought about this over the last year or two as I've read some on recent studies and books about happiness. Happiness doesn't come from material possessions, at least not lasting happiness. But especially at the holidays there is this expectation to buy for friends and family to show that we love them. My mother seems to believe this. She got tired of having me return most of what she bought for me when I was a teen, so one year she asked me to give her a list of things that I would like for the holidays. I did, and every year since she calls or emails in the fall and asks for my list. I'm 46, not a six year old with a list for Santa. I don't need more stuff!

I see this "more is better" mentality when I go to a shopping mall, which isn't often. I see store after store filled with stuff and I wonder if we need most of this, and does having it make people happier? Our former President encouraged Americans to go shopping at the beginning of the last minor recession about 10 years ago - he made it sound like our patriotic duty. That was great - rack up credit card debt to buy stuff you don't need. Even now the newspapers cheer on excessive spending at the holidays as a sign that consumer spending is up and therefore the economy is improving. Why not suggest that people cut back on spending and pay down debt?

After the holidays I plan to contact my family and suggest that we only buy gifts for the kids next year. I really don't need my family to buy me gifts to know that they love me.

Sorry for the rant. I just feel that our priorities about buying for others and accumulating more possessions is misplaced.

it's the holidays, so my mother-in-law is going insane, as usual

My mother-in-law is doing her usual holiday freak out. I love her but she makes the holidays way more stressful than they ever should be, usually by waiting until the last minute to do anything. She has known for over a month what she wants to make our son Leo, but as of yesterday she hadn't started yet. The adults had talked about not giving each other gifts this year, and everyone was fine with that, until yesterday. Then she realized that she can't not give her only child, David, my husband, a Christmas gift. So she called, tearful, and asked me what David wants. He gave us a gift list earlier, but my mother bought most of it and I bought what was left. So I thought for a while and mentioned a tablecloth for the kitchen table would be a nice gift that we could use. So she'll make a tablecloth but worried that she couldn't get it ready for Christmas. I gently told her that David is 39, that he won't be upset if his present isn't ready on time. I don't know why people get so stressed about gifts and wanting the holidays to be perfect. I just enjoy getting together with the family, since I don't really celebrate the religious holidays.

The solstice was two days ago. It will be good to see the rays of the sun moving back toward the Northern Hemisphere, where they belong. Sorry Poppy and John, but I'm ready for more light and heat around here.