I've seen a few of the videos from this year's Black Friday sales (and the fights they caused) and I'm not sure what to think. On one hand, I'm relieved to see that people are so willing and excited to shop -- it could be a sign of economic recovery. On the other hand, I can't help but feel sickened by the consumerism that has overcome our culture.
When I look around my home, I feel that my family truly needs for nothing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I'm overwhelmed with stuff. I spend my day cleaning up stuff, organizing stuff. I buy stuff to put my stuff in. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one in this position.
That's why I've come up with a few ideas to help reduce the amount of stuff that I receive and give for Christmas this year. One of the things I am doing is "recycling" gifts. Alden's second birthday was in September, and it was a non-stop celebration with my parents, my mother-in-law, my sister's family, and my brothers-in-law and their families all coming for various visits, all bearing gifts. And friends, too. You can imagine the number of toys this little boy received.
When I saw the gifts start to pile up, I took everything that we had bought for Alden, except one toy NYC garbage truck, and put it all in the closet. I told my husband that these would become Alden's Christmas gifts, and he whole-heartedly agreed. Alden loved his new truck and didn't miss any other toys. I'm sure he'll be delighted to open them on Christmas Day.
For the others on my holiday list, I try to give "non-stuff" gifts -- something you don't put in a box, like a gift certificate to a spa, a meal at a favorite restaurant, or cooking classes. We stopped buying traditional gifts for my parents a few years ago and instead started to treat them to an experience. One year we all spent the day at the U.S. Open (my dad is a huge tennis fan). Once we all went together on a big family trip for their Christmas, birthday, anniversary, and Mother's Day/Father's Day gifts all in one!
What my parents enjoy most about these gifts is that we all make time for each other. The experience doesn't have to come with a big price tag -- what's valuable is giving someone your time. Simply making a meal, helping clean out the garage, or an offer to babysit would be a very special, and much appreciated, holiday gift.
Edible gifts are another great idea, like subscriptions to a beer or wine club -- or sign someone up to a Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to get fresh veggies and every week. Some farmer's markets will make holiday baskets of locally-grown treats. If you like to bake, holiday cookies are fun to make (remember the Friends episode when Monica bakes cookies for the super?). You can make candy, too, and send it to far-away friends and family. My friend Sara Kate's family recipe for skillet toffee is so easy and insanely good. For more dessert recipes, see Smarter Living's recipes page.
Giving the gift of giving is like a double gift. Donating to a charity or volunteering together helps support people who are truly in need. NRDC has some great ideas for gifts that help the environment. I love the chicks, rabbits, and sheep I've been able to give through Heifer International. Donating to Harlem RBI is a great idea for a sports nut (you can even volunteer to be a coach or an umpire). One year I got my niece and nephew gift certificates for the classroom charity Donors Choose, which allowed them to be little philanthropists and pick a school project to fund. My niece chose to support an arts program, and my nephew gave his money to a classroom that needed books that would interest boys.
I can't deny, though, that sometimes it is fun to buy presents. The trick is to give without going overboard, and Secret Santa is a great way to do it. This year, my husband's family has decided to do Secret Santa pairings. Instead of buying and receiving 14 gifts, we've each been assigned one family member to purchase for. Now you can even use websites like Elfster to set up your Secret Santa. They do anonymous name-drawing for you. And when it comes to material gifts, you have a lot of greener options to choose from, including vintage jewelry, raingear, guitars built with wood from well-managed forests, and software and entertainment downloads.
My sister-in-law, Jeni, sticks to one simple rule to keep consumption in check. Every Christmas and birthday, she gives her children exactly one book, one toy, and one piece of clothing. That's it. Her children don't seem to be jealous if other kids get more presents than they do. They're actually confused by the amount of stuff that other kids get.
Despite all my strategies, I'm still stumped on a gift for my dad. He's retired, and doesn't want for much. Any ideas? What's on (or not on) your holiday shopping list this year?
Image: CaptPiper/Flickr
