Cross-posted from Top Comments in Orange.
Though I love the festive nature of the holiday season, I’ve come to lament the never-ending frenzy of consumerism that begins the day after Thanksgiving and ends on New Year’s Day. In years past, we’ve given gifts that were made locally or obtained through fair trade practices (at least, to the best of our knowledge). Not surprisingly, these were typically hand-made gifts, rather than the mass-produced melts of plastic available in stores geared toward the masses. This year, rather than get caught up in the consumerism/consumption game, Mr Pickle and I have decided that all of our gifts – given and received – will be charitable donations.
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Having established this ground-rule, we’re now faced with the all-important question: which charities? We’ve only just begun to think about this, which is in part why I’ve decided to write a diary on this topic. We’re leaning toward local charities, although the recent cyclone in Bangladesh is making me reconsider.
Being animal-lovers, an obvious choice is the local SPCA. But, there’s also the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, where we’ve enjoyed long walks amidst a constant clatter of quacking, the irony of a bird sanctuary of this name not being lost on us. Or the Wildlife Rescue of BC. Or the Pacific Wildlife Foundation.
We’re also considering charities that help people. For example, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre caters to women and children living in one of the worst areas of British Columbia. More likely than not, the people living there are drug addicts or mentally ill. Another option is the Native Youth Centre, which, as the name suggests, is an outreach organization for an oft-overlooked part of our community.
In the end, I think we’ll give family and friends a list of places from which to choose. Donations to any of these would be considerably better than us increasing our already considerable collection of “stuff.”
As for giving gifts, I think that will depend on whether or not people give us some suggestions. I wouldn’t want to donate to an organization in someone’s name without their consent. So, in some cases, we may go with the old standby: gift certificates.
So, Docudharmists, what are you planning to do for holiday gift-giving?
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a swell Monday!
and my husband’s family don’t do gifts. I plan to give my husband’s niece who is in college, a card with some cash in it, because her mother works pretty hard and doesn’t make much. If I ask my SIL what her daughter needs she is going to tell me she doesn’t need anything. I am going to get the nephew something. I generally donate locally at Christmas either buying an Angel Tree gift or something else, then I cut a check to the local food bank. The food band gig is something I do monthly anyway. I might also do some kind of international gift as well.
At work we plan to donate money to help supplement the toy fund for the patients.
We talked about it but we have some big time household expenses we need to save up for: replacing the windows in the front of the house and other stuff.
I am not starving, so I see Christmas as a chance to help others. I admit I am not really that “into” Christmas and in fact I will probably work it this year, since I already know the spouse will be and that gives one of my colleagues who has kids a chance at family time.
as I’m concerned. A few years ago, when I had a lot of business clients and no clue what to give them, donations saved my kiester.
If they liked animals/environmental causes, the money went to Defenders of Wildlife, National Resources Defense Council, Humane Society or a local group. Otherwise, it was a children’s organization, like the Plan (planusa.org). There’s nothing to buy or gift wrap, and no stress over whether they’ll like it or not.
Now everyone in the family gets the same, and maybe a little handmade something. My gift is not having to go to a disgusting mall and break out in hives over all the useless crap people buy.
into the whole shebang!
hey Pickle!
to your friends here at Docudharma. Every time I look at to stats map for who is visiting DocuD I see a lot of people in America, which is great, but not so many outside America.
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=st…
The recent diaries and relief fund projects will help in this regard but think of some other ways of bringing in traffic from abroad. Do you have a second language? Think about sharing it. Relatives in other countries? Blog about their experiences.