Holiday Giving

The Holidays are fast approaching. It is apparent by the frigid temperatures, the bountiful amount of snow on the ground, the lights up on my neighbor's house, the music being played on the radio, the amount of cookies and candy in the office and of course the full parking lot at the mall.

I love the holiday season. I love drinking hot chocolate (and peppermint schnapps), I love walking in the snow, I love my broken Nutcracker that sits on the bookshelf, I love Charlie Brown's Christmas Special, I love candy-canes and the holiday lights and music and spending time with friends and family.

One part of Christmas that I don't celebrate much anymore is the gift purchasing madness. For the first 28 years of my life we had loads of presents under our Christmas Tree at home.
For my entire life, I would ask my father what he would like for Christmas and he would respond "Save your money all I want is World Peace" (or Whirled Peas...depending on the mood he was in). So each year I would search the stores to try and find something to buy him because though he said he didn't want a gift, I couldn't buy something for everyone else in the family and leave him out. It was usually a sweater or socks or as I got older a gift-certificate to Gander Mountain. These gifts weren't special and given the number of sweaters that I purchased and never actually saw my father wear, it was unnecessary. It probably made my father feel bad to receive a gift he knew he wouldn't be using and it made me feel bad to wander the stores knowing that nothing I found would be what he had asked for...because you can't buy World Peace.

My family doesn't exchange holiday gifts anymore. We stopped exchanging gifts when the state of the economy changed in 2008. With cash a little tighter in everyone's pocket we decided it didn't really make sense to purchase gifts that year. Along with the shift in the economy, a shift was occurring in my family and we began to think more about our belongings and our needs. It was harder than ever to answer that one simple question..."what would you like for Christmas?".

This year the members of my family will be purchasing a goat for a family in need through Heifer International. http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.195980/
Through Heifer International, one can purchase live-stock, trees, bees, etc. that will be given to families in need across the world. Heifer provides training which allows the families to maintain their livestock as a source of food and income. Heifer calls these animals "living loans". In exchange for the livestock and training each family receives, they agree to give one of their animal's offspring to another family in need. Now that's a gift that keeps on giving! From their website- Heifer International has helped over 70 million men, women, and children across the world on the road to sustainability. Providing livestock and training is the helping hand you can extend this holiday season with your gift. The organization allows people to purchase an animal, like our goat ($120), or a share of an animal (usually around $10.00). People can also purchase a flock of ducks or chicks for around $20.00.
This allows for the opportunity to contribute at any level!

Though the adults no longer purchase gifts for each-other in my family we do purchase gifts for my two young nephews. This year my gift is not something tangible. I've gotten my sister's family a membership to the Madison Children's Museum. http://www.madisonchildrensmuseum.org/
So they will have one year of free admission and reduced parking.
I know there are days, especially in the colder months when my sister is home with the kids and they just need to get out of the house, so hopefully this will provide a place she can take them without spending any money! It sure beats walking around Target drinking a Starbucks coffee with the kids in the cart, just so that they can get a change of scenery.

This year, if gift-buying is unavoidable, think about some non-tangible gifts.

Here are some ideas;
- A donation to offset your loved one's carbon footprint. http://store.terrapass.com/store/c/18-carbon-offsets.html
- A donation to your loved one's favorite charity (or purchase your loved one a goat or some chickens through Heifer International).
- Tickets to a show or concert.
- A State or County trail pass (biking, skiing etc)
- A State or National Park pass
- Membership to the local zoo, museum, aquarium etc.
- Membership to a local co-op grocery store.
- Gift Certificate to a restaurant or coffee shop.

Happy Holidays!