There are many ways to use The Point to perpetuate love, kindness, and other feelings we save up for the holidays.

Make it the Christmas you want

An astounding 78% of Americans wish the holidays were less materialistic. Yet we spend more with each passing year, largely because no one wants to be the jerk that suggests cutting back on Christmas.

Why not start a private campaign with your family members that proposes an alternate form of celebration? If the whole family joins, you can forgo the lavish gifts and exchange handmade items instead. Or spend the day volunteering at a soup kitchen. And with The Point’s ability to hide identities until a campaign tips, you don’t have to worry about being remembered as the guy or gal that tried to ruin Christmas.

A New Year’s Resolution with Consequences

80% of New Year’s resolutions fail within three weeks. Maybe it’s because when we fail, we’re only failing ourselves. By the time we’re old enough to be making New Year’s resolutions, we’ve learned to cope with that feeling.

Instead of going solo on your resolution this year, use The Point to team up with friends, family, or coworkers. “I will exercise three times a week this year, but only if five of my coworkers do the same.” You’ve created a pact where each member is dependent on the others to do their part. If one of you fails, all of you fail. People are depending on you to be successful, making it much tougher to permit yourself to reneg.

Parties and Get-Togethers

Not sure if there’s enough interest for a New Year’s block party or an office holiday party? Start a campaign on The Point, and people can pledge money or supplies that will only be collected if tipping point is reached.

Maybe you have a money-strapped relative living on the opposite coast? Start a campaign to buy them a plane ticket and send it off to your family.

Protect the Children

Children are on the receiving end of the majority of holiday cheer. Maybe because they’re the easiest to be cheerful toward. If you want to make sure they’re around for many Christmases to come, consider starting or joining an ultimatum campaign like one of these:

• Improve the safety standards for toys manufactured in China
• Reduce junk food in school cafeterias
• Remove transfats from foods

Bonus: Christmas at our office

The Point is known in the future for going all-out for the holidays. This year, I picked up $150 worth of cheap Chinese Christmas junk from Walgreen’s ($20 for a robot Santa!), and spent the morning rendering our conference room obstructively seasonal. On the iPod, on repeat, 24/7, is Now That’s What I Call Christmas!.

-Filed in Ideas, The Point