What's your approach to gift-giving at the holidays?
Posted at 5:00 AM on December 24, 2010
by Eric Ringham
(8 Comments)
Filed under: Culture, Economy, Religion/Ethics
Some people try to shop according to their values at the holidays, purchasing gifts that are sustainable or charitable in some way. Today's Question: What's your approach to gift-giving at the holidays?
Comments (8)
Zero purchases. Christmas has become the climax of maniacal consumerism. The baby in the crib has been replaced with a credit card. America is sick.
I no longer participate in this ridiculousness. It isn't important to me and i think there are better things to do with your time and money.
My children are grown with lives of their own. Ever since they were teenagers the best gifts I could give was memories, so I give money for or toward an event they want to pursue. Examples include tickets to shows, experiences for skydiving, race car driving, trips to obscure locations.
The best I can give is the opportunity for memory.
Those who helped others most get the best consideration. Those who were selfish, jack and or squat.
Although I have not done a lump of coal bit....
Everyone in the family generally gets something, and the younger get more. But that is limited also based off how hard they tried.
IMO the items most likely to appreciate or be of greateszt value in the hard times will be small quantities of silver or ammunition.
That's what I gave this year to selected people.
While I try to give responsible gifts, my main approach is to think specifically of each person and give them something special. This is easier to accomplish for birthdays because they come one at a time. For Christmas, I get overwhelmed and usually run out of time so I don’t succeed in “unique and special” all the time.
Phil has the right idea. Gotta help the poorest help themselves out of poverty, preferably with dairy goats rather than a big holstein cow.
This year I took a different approach to gift giving and made donations to Heifer International in honor of each family member. The result was a literal barnyard of animals to bring relief to families in need across the world.
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