As (about) everybody knows, Christmas is essentially a Christian holiday based around older pagan mid-winter celebrations. Most probably Jesus was born on a different day of the year, but the early Christians chose 25th of December in order to replace the pagan celebrate of winter soltice (usually on December 21st of 22nd). More: many of the things traditionally associated with the modern Christmas can be traced back to pre-Christian practices around the Europe and Mediteraneean sea.
A lot of people, Christians or not, associate the period of the Christmas and the passing into a new year (only a few day apart) with the winter holidays. The Jews celebrate Hannuka in the same period of time. So why not? Everybody deserve a few days of. On the other hand, people like the Atheists or the Muslims (for example) prefer to work in a quiter workplace than usual.
You must have noticed... it's not something new, it runs back for decades... but the spirit of this period has changed. It starts right before Halloween, on all the channels available: radio, television, commercials on the street and into the stores, internet and so on. The Christmas music starts appearing at the radio stations (some of them are playing carols after Halloween), in no time they become the most listened music on the radio, the stores start stocking up and advertising promotions, discounts and (in some cases) awards for Christmas, Santa Clause and the Christmas trees starts appearing on the streets and into the markets weeks before the celebrations of Jesus' birth. The movies dedicated to that mythological event and according to the (it seems so old fashion) spirit of the moment.
The old spirit of the Christmas said that one should help the people in need, to give something as food, clothes, tools and things necessary to survive. Apparently, the current days retailers think the names of the holiday spirits of Christmas are Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express because they just want us to give. Give presents, give flowers, give whatever he or she want, just please him/she and buy from us. Always buy, more and more every year. So much for holiday good will and tidings.
You want to avoid the commercialism of Christmas?
First: remember to give people want they need, not what other people want. You should consider spending one or more days helping a charity, volunteer for a cause that need your help. I prefer not to name such charities... just search for a relevant one in your neighbourhood.
You can always budget your gifts: decide to spend a maximum sum (as total or for every gift) and stick with it. This is more than a requirmement for people with low budget, it's a proof of self control.
Give or ask for homemade gifts. They are very cheap (at least the most of them), are becoming more and more important while the time passes (they are in trend). So... use them. Put your imagination at work and make others use their imagination.
On the other hand, it is becoming more common for older couples and individuals to head for a vacation at Christmas instead of staying home or spending time with children. Also, there are other hotels and resorts who do not have any festive decorations or food, where Christmas is deliberately ignored - they offer a real holiday, probably even a traditional one. In the southern hemisphere, during the summer, December and January are the best times to visit with warm weather and long days.
Rembmer that starting Christmas off so early in the November is taking the fun and the magic out of Christmas, it can be even stressing. The message and the meaning is getting so watered down that they are or they will become unrecognizable.
