The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, hoping Prime delivery would soon be there… (I know what you’re thinking, but no, this is not an ad.)
Picture this. You wake up early the morning of December 25th to a beautiful winter day (fingers crossed for snow this year!) With a mug of hot chocolate in hand, you put on your slippers and rush to the tree. Maybe your family is there with you. Or maybe you’re stuck celebrating over Facetime this year. You reach for the first package, which — like the rest — is wrapped in the same familiar drawstring organza bag, complete with a tag that reads “A Gift For You”…
Yep, you guessed it. I’m talking about Amazon Prime: the easiest way for busy (lazy?) people to send pretty much anything to anyone at any time. And so, when it became apparent that this would very likely be a physically distanced holiday season, it seemed like Prime would be the best option for buying gifts this year. But not so fast… doing all of your holiday shopping via Amazon might end up landing you on the naughty list.
Surely, I don’t need to tell you about the trillion dollar company’s terrible labour conditions or the fact that the über-fast shipping upon which you so heavily rely is low-key killing the planet. I won’t mention the recent allegations of the organization’s antitrust violations and failure to adequately protect employees from COVID-19 (note: this has since improved, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened). And I definitely won’t remind you that Amazon is monopolizing the modern marketplace, thus posing a threat to small businesses. Because you already knew about all that, right?
What I will talk about is what you should do instead. This year, rather than reaching for your phone to buy something from Amazon, reach for your phone to make a call (wild idea, I know). Make a festive card or buy a gift from a local business and walk it over to your friend or family member’s house. Even if you aren’t able to see them due to the pandemic, you can still leave it in their mailbox as a nice surprise. And if they live too far away? You can mail it to them via Canada Post (click here for mail-by dates to make sure it gets there on time). It might not be the fastest way, but it is the more people- and planet-friendly way — and that’s what matters most. If you really must buy online, you should at least consider purchasing directly from the retailer rather than going through Amazon. Another option is to buy from artisans on Etsy. Or, if you’re feeling ~crafty~ yourself, head to Pinterest for homemade gift ideas — no shopping required!
So… have I made you reconsider? While Amazon might be convenient, that doesn’t make it the best place to shop this December. Happy hunting! I’ll see you on the nice list.
