The Joy of Responsible Gift-Giving
One of the greatest pressures is to spend on gifts, especially during the holidays. Whether the celebration is Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, many people find the consumer frenzy exhausting.
After the celebration, they may be left with unsatisfying gifts and consumer debt. The emotional toll may even be greater. The holidays are supposed to inspire us; instead they exhaust us. We spend so many hours in cars and shopping malls that we often have little time left to experience the joy of the season.
Don't despair. There are many creative ways to express the spirit of peace, joy and generosity of the season without pulling out your credit card. Many of the following suggestions are suitable for any holiday, as well as birthdays:
1. Chronicle your family history by assembling photographs, letters and important documents. Make this your one gift to the entire family.
2. Record a family oral history on audio tape with commentary from parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles. Such a gift will be truly treasured in years to come after people pass away.
3. Knit a sweater or build a birdhouse.
4. Frame one of your best photographs.
5. Make a tape of your favorite music.
6. Design a gift certificate which gives baby-sitting to a close friend, an afternoon at a museum or art gallery to a grandparent, or a candlelight massage to your partner.
7. Host a potluck party instead of a giant holiday feast.
8. Make your own cards and send them only to relatives and good friends.
9. Work with a social services agency to find a family in need, then share appropriate gifts with them.
10. Shop for secondhand toys.
Children need not suffer under this alternative approach to the holidays. Take them caroling, help them make gifts for grandparents and cousins and involve them in assembling gift boxes for the homeless. Along with their holiday presents, they will experience the unexpected joy of giving.
A great catalog of information and resources for celebrating a more meaningful and less commercial Christmas is available from:
Alternatives for Simple Living
3617 Old Lakeport Road
P.O. Box 2857
Sioux City, Iowa 51106 tel. 800-821-6153.
E-mail: AltSimLiv@aol.com
An excellent book to help people create meaningful celebrations is Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back Into Your Holiday Celebration, by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli. The 207-page work is available for $9.
Please note: Alternatives for Simple Living also offers a range of books on simple living themes.