The Morton majority likes receiving gifts, and they aren’t picky: handmde or store-bought is fine.
In a survey conducted at Morton, 65 teens like to receive store-bought and handmade gifts during the holidays, 21 students prefer handmade presents, and 14 students prefer store-bought presents. Every year, approximately 85% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and the United States spends more than $600 billion on Christmas, which includes shopping, decorating, as well as food and drinks. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average American plans to spend $826 in 2022 on Christmas alone. Christmas is a favorite holiday among young children, where memories and traditions are made. Some have their favorite aspects of the holiday, such as gift-giving, decorating, singing carols, and so on.
“I think, as cheesy as it sounds, it’s the thought that counts, and if it’s handmade, it’s something they couldn’t get themselves. It takes a lot of time and effort, not just to make it but also to think about it. It’s personalized, something you can’t get anywhere else, and no one else can give to you,” said Psych teacher Mr. Fischer.
Some people would assume that Gen Z doesn’t value the true meaning of gift-giving, but that’s untrue.
“I like store-bought gifts because the idea of someone looking at something and thinking, ‘she’ll like this,’ is sweet. On the other hand, I love handmade gifts because that takes effort and shows how important you are to them,” said senior Gabriela Vilches.
Another student added,
“I love handmade gifts; for one, they have sentimental value, and also you can see how someone values you by how creative they try to become when making the gift itself. Also, they are more memorable,” said senior Jayden Lang.
When shopping for Christmas, some students do have their way of shopping.
“I consider both the needs and the wants because the wants aren’t always needs, but it’s nice to have things you wish you could have. It’s also convenient to have things you need. Plus, I’m willing to spend any type of money on someone depending on the things I would get them. I don’t like to keep track of how much I would spend for someone; if I really want to give them a gift, I’ll buy it no matter what,” said senior Madelyn Ruiz.
However, there’s another factor to consider when shopping for gifts.
“I feel like it really depends on your situation and what the gift is for. For example, if you’re participating in Secret Santa, you should set a reasonable budget and respect that. But I think the price should not hold you back if you worked for it and don’t have a problem spending, especially if you’re shopping for someone you really care for. In a way, though, you’d hope for the spending to be even on both sides or for the gifts to have equal meaning and not just random last-minute materialistic gifts,” said senior Mariana Barajas.
In the end, it’s about being grateful to receive and give. A gift shouldn’t be the main attraction of the holiday season, so go spend some time doing other Christmas activities like baking and decorating. If you are Christmas shopping, just make sure not to go over budget.
