Give Gifts With Meaning.
Hello!
Each Holiday Season, I write on this topic, and I ask myself and encourage you to do the same: what matters most to you, especially this time of year?
For me, simplicity is more enticing than ever, and absolutely nothing is more important than spending time with loved ones. Wouldn’t you rather eat delicious food, go for long hikes, play board games, and hang out with the people you love over giving or receiving a ridiculous number of things that aren’t needed? This year, we are hosting our annual Christmas feast on the 27th and will spend a day of sloth in our PJs on the 25th. I’m beyond excited.
Shopping is a significant activity for the next month, and hopefully, you don’t get pulled into the consumer spending vortex on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Perhaps you will participate on December 3rd in the more helpful option of Giving Tuesday, a global act encouraging donations to charities and non-profit organizations.
How’s your gift shopping going? What kind of Christmas, Holiday, Ramadan, or Hanukkah gifts will you give your loved ones this year? The pressure to give and expectations to receive are intense and deeply ingrained in our culture. This must change, or we will pay the price for mindless giving.
Giving with Meaning
Homemade Gift Ideas
There is something extra special about homemade gifts-they have more meaning because you know the time and effort that went into making them. If you are thinking about making some gifts this year, don’t stress yourself by feeling you must make a quilt or knit a sweater!!
You can easily make body scrubs, bath salts, homemade aromatherapy sprays, DIY soup mason jars, baked goods, jams, sauces or artwork. Homemade holiday gift ideas.
Support Local and Small Businesses
Many small businesses are struggling and could use our help. Gift cards can make an excellent gift if they’re from a company your loved one likes and, even better, from a small local business. Instead of ordering anything from Amazon (they don’t need our business), order your books from a local bookstore, or instead of getting a gift card from Starbucks, purchase a gift card from someone’s favourite local café. Support local artists, wineries, breweries, clothing stores, food specialty shops, cafes and restaurants.
What does your community need? Check-in with local shelters and other community organizations to see if you can support a family by purchasing gifts for them. This time of year, shelters are desperate for winter clothing.
Donate to a charity in a loved one’s name.
Gifts for Animal Lovers
Consider a donation to an organization that supports animals. Animal Justice challenges our weak animal protection laws. The Humane Society International Canada is struggling because all of their locations are overwhelmed by the number of pets that have been surrendered. Or donate to an animal sanctuary:
Gifts that Support the Environment
Give or ask others to donate to your favourite environmental organizations like the David Suzuki Foundation or Tree Canada
If you’re concerned about how much plastic is wasted on single-use plastics such as shampoo bottles and laundry soap bottles, purchase eco-friendly household products from Hello Good Juju. They are a Canadian company that sells all-natural, plastic-free body and home care products.
Have an Impact on Food Security
Food banks cannot keep up with the demand. Every community has food banks, and as much as they appreciate food donations, they prefer to receive money donations because this gives them the flexibility to purchase in bulk things they are short on. Donate locally or consider donating to:
CBC’s Sounds of the Season Food Bank Fundraiser is now called Make the Season Kind Campaign
Or give to an aid organization like Project Hope that provides assistance to areas in the world that are dealing with conflict-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.
For some other ideas, check out:
Kiva is an international non-profit organization founded in 2005 with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities. Over 1.7 billion people worldwide are unbanked and can’t access the financial services they need. By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, you can be part of the solution and make a real difference in someone’s life. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans.
This year, my husband and I are skipping gifts except for buying each other a book from our local bookstore. We will put some money aside for a future spa day and donate to our local humane society, women’s shelter, and food bank.
When it comes to giving gifts, give gifts that give. Please share your gift-giving ideas in the comments below. Happy Creating, Sharing & Giving.
Peace and blessings.
Anita
DISCLAIMER; The information provided on County Yoga Loft’s website blog is for general health care informational purposes only. All information on the site is provided in good faith. However, it should not replace consultation or advice from physicians and other healthcare practitioners. The use or reliance of any information on this site is solely at your own risk.