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Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents For The Holidays (2009)

by Joel Waldfogel(Favorite Author)

3.22 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0691142645 (ISBN13: 9780691142647)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Princeton University Press

review 1: Generally, I appreciated the ideas presented in the book and agree that there is a lot of unnecessary, possibly wasteful spending for the December holidays. I'm not sure I agree with some of the provocative arguments the author makes about perceived value of gifts and subsequent waste. Also, the whole of Chapter 13 (about redistribution of funds) brought a chill to my Libertarian heart! However, I enjoyed thinking about the topic and found this to be an interesting read. Worth a look!
review 2: I liked it, but then again, I am biased. I agree that less money should be spent on unwanted material items during Christmas and more time should be spent creating an intimate experience with the ones we love. And the social stigma about giving cash is ridiculous. Tha... moret is why we invented registries and gift cards for other occasions. Maybe we should all create Christmas registries (like Amazon wish lists, for example). Then we wouldn't feel the pressure to buy expensive gifts for people, but instead treat them with an inexpensive item we know they will love. I know that handmaking items for my immediate friends & families has been very rewarding-and we mostly make consumables or recyclables, so we know it will have value to the recipient. Plus the bonding experience between my fiancee and I while we create these items is also a huge benefit in the process. I don't know how that relates to economics, necessarily, but I do know that it helps Christmas feel special based on an internal feeling and not on an external expectation. less

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