This piece is more for myself than for anyone else out there, as I feel that I am one of the last people who should be writing about a deinfluenced Christmas at the volume that I end up procuring books. It's also not a new thought as I've previously shared about my desire to move from consumption to stewardship in my life, and what it means to not only be a thoughtful reader, but to also be someone who doesn't end up becoming consumed by books itself.
Despite believing in this concept, I still wrestle with it in reality, especially when the Christmas season hits and the temptation to take advantage of as many sales as I can is high. I don't offer any particular solutions other than to recognize that I easily fall into many marketing traps, and that my self-control could use some work. Black Friday and Cyber Monday and what has become an entire month of sales doesn't help, though it does pay off if I'm willing to wait for a while and have already done so (keeping a spreadsheet of books and prices throughout the year in order to compare prices is one of the geekier things I do 😆).
At the same time, I love supporting Christian authors. I struggle to have book-buying bans because it's sometimes hard to track down specific books, so I tend to jump on them when I have the opportunity. Though I seldom share content about book hauls or all of the book accessories I have, I acknowledge that there is a lot and I am grateful for it, especially when they help me celebrate Christian books in general in a fun and edifying way. I also don't want to take away from promoting amazing authors where writing is their livelihood, which is why I do my best not to mention anything about how much things cost (it costs authors to be able to write as well!).
With these things in mind, while I am not the most skilled at controlling myself when it comes to books, I do want to be responsible when it comes to what I share online, which is where I believe the whole concept of deinfluencing has become more mainstream. I don't imagine that I have much, if any, influence on other readers, but I also don't want to perpetuate the idea that reading has to cost a lot or that there's a pressure to keep up with what everyone else is doing.
Like most readers, I think we're fairly discerning enough to know whether a book is in line with our tastes or not, so it's a different experience than the traditional type of influencing done on social media. However, I'm content to treat Christmas much like I would the rest of the year where I am mindful about consumption, both in terms of quality and in quantity. I love getting into the Christmas spirit just like everyone else, but I have been feeling compelled to add more restraint to it this year so that I can truly focus on what Christmas means. This should help as I can become so distracted!
While it's not a full-blown commitment, I am taking it easy so far in December, and have enjoyed seeing all of the festive books and content that others are sharing. I'm trying to quell the itch to keep getting more books and feeling like I have to finish them all, so I am praying for God's peace to abide in my heart this season.
I'm also trying to tune out sales and other incentives to shop (which isn't easy!), but which I think will help me to get through the things that matter most. Alongside the tasks popping up this month, I want to prepare my heart to be present with people rather than being focused on presents. As much as books are at the top of my list for favourite gifts, I'm going to lean on God's strength this month to slow down and appreciate the gift of each day with Him.
If you want to read a few other pieces I've written around book accumulation, check out:
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