Don't dismiss it as a gimmick. This is worth reading, and worth thinking about, even if you do nothing about it.
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/
I've been progressively more disgusted with our national obsession for buying gifts at a drop of a hat - not that it's bad to give gifts, but that we are *obliged* to do so, and that we teach our kids to expect it, rather than teaching them to be surprised by the blessings that every day offers.
Yes, these people are strange, but that's sort of the point. This should *not* be strange. Learn to see the wonder in every-day life, OK? I know it is there, and I would like to start seeing it again. This may involve doing some unconventional things, since the conventional things are often just plain wrong-minded.