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E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
I'm Dreaming of a Consumption-Free Christmas
Americans are expected to spend an average of $832.36 on holiday-related purchases by the close of this holiday season, more than half of that total going to gifts for family members.
And, as Jeremy wrote last week, the retail-induced frenzy on Black Friday that led to at least one death disabused us of the notion that Americans might skip holiday gift-buying in the midst of our global financial crisis. Apparently, nothing comes between Americans and their "stuff."
I won't get into the fact that all of this holiday "stuff" we're buying increases our already high levels of waste (check out tips for reducing holiday waste). But I decided that one of my gifts this holiday season would be to provide you with a list of consumption-free gift ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
And for anyone who thought they were getting some store-bought "stuff" from me this year, you are mistaken. Your gift will likely come from the list below. So, stuff it!
Serve Others (because your time is precious and sharing it is meaningful)
- Offer your babysitting services to a couple in need of a night on the town
- Share your talents (cooking, accounting, editing, photography) for free
- Repair a broken item (family heirloom, bike) that might already be languishing in someone's closet of “stuff”
- Donate your time to a local charity or cause
Make Your Gifts (because if the gift is embellished with your character, it will never be junk)
- Knit a scarf or some other warm and fuzzy clothing item *
- Make a CD of tunes that remind you of your recipient
- Create a photo album or scrapbook of fun days together
- Paint or sketch their beautiful face and frame it **
Give an Experience (because it's fun)
- Go bike-riding (or ice skating or rollerblading or hiking) together
- Donate your time to a local charity or cause with your gift recipient
- Plant a garden or tree together
- Create an ongoing book exchange with books you already own
* Knitting class or experience knitting required. Making a gift is not an excuse for giving a tacky gift.
** Art class or artistic talent required. Again, painting or sketching your gift is not a license to offend with stick figures.