Clutter-free Gift-Giving Made Easy!

“The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.” Ralph Waldo Emerso

A recent headline in the newspaper read “Over consumption may fail economy.” Unfortunately, the holiday season is notorious for over consumption, so how about going clutter-free this holiday? There are many options for clutter-free gift-giving to let our loved ones know how much we care. Be creative and let the retailers and advertisers know that the holidays aren’t just about shopping. Your values and budget ought to guide your shopping, not the commercials. Let’s break it down: nn« Clutter-free giftsno Savings Bondsno Gift cards for long-distance minutes, gas, or groceriesno Gift cards for garden nurseries, restaurants, or Starbucks no Spa and pampering giftsno Gym membershipno Museum membershipno Tickets to local symphonyno Tickets to a Broadway showno Movie and a dinne
o Trapeze school lessonsno Cooking lessonsno Planting a tree in honor of someonenn« Non-profit gift-givingno Cash donation to a charity in honor of the recipient no www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com-international relief fund no www.thegreenguide.com-green gifts for global impact nn« Gifts of timeno Join a friend: local art studio classes, yoga, book club, film club, scrapbooking classes no Babysitting coupons for nieces, nephews and grandchildrenno Take a child: Go to lunch, take a day trip, go to the museum, go to a local college for a sports event, go to the zoono “First Christmas Together” (or other name) coupon book: Make a list of the things you know your partner would enjoy and include practical and fun things: for example, a backrub, do the dishes for a week, make a candlelight dinner, do grocery shopping, etc. nn« Can’t go clutter-free? Choose a gift that donates a portion of its profit to a non-profit agency. no Christmas or Hanukkah cards that donate profits to your favorite charityno Gifts that support disease research no www.CafePress.com—charity T-shirts and giftsno www.agreatergift.org—fair trade giftsno www.ugandangold.com—supports coffee farm in Uganda nn« Gift-giving Guidelinesno Secret Santa—Pick a name from a hat with all the adults in your family. Family members with limited budgets will be relieved. no Set a budget and stick to it. Celebrate the holidays without creating a financial hardship.no Make a list of your gift decisions before you shop. Don’t shop to get ideas or buy ¡¥potential’ gifts.no Limit the number of shopping trips you make or better yet, shop online!!nn« Things to do instead of shopping at the holidaysno Nurseries and Gardens that decorate at the holidaysno Local Theatres with holiday programsno Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Charlie Brown Christmas”, “A Christmas Story”, or “Miracle on 34th Street”, with your own children or borrow some!no Christmas or Holiday Concerts at local churches, schools or collegesnnn