Joel Waldfogel: Rethinking Holiday Gifts

The holidays: seasonal cheer, family get-togethers, and presentslots and lots of presents. But did you really love that sweater from Grandma, or the singing fish from your uncle? And how many gifts did you buy without knowing what the recipient really wanted, or needed? What if its time to rethink the whole idea of gift-giving? Economist Joel Waldfogel believes that could be a gift in itself. The author of Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldnt Buy Presents for the Holidays, says its time to stop the madness; by spending $85 billion each winter, making poorly informed choices, maxing out our credit cards, and leaving recipients less than satisfied, were creating deadweight loss. Instead, Waldfogel proposes gift-giving alternatives that can reclaim the original spirit of the holidays. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company.