In search of the perfect gift
Over the years I have turned from a person who loved Christmas to a person who doesn’t like Christmas and I never really understood why until the other day I received an e-mail from a friend which began “Every year around this time, I find myself starting to think about what to get my friends for Christmas. It takes up a good bit of my mental energy and eventually causes a fair amount of anxiety as Christmas draws closer and I still haven’t come up with any startling or wunderbar ideas.
“This year, in place of gifting to my friends, I will instead put my money toward helping peoples truly in need both here and abroad. In particular, increasing my efforts within my own church as we continue to reach out not only in our own community, but around the world.”
Said friend is a fun person, who can out-party me any night of the week, but she also does good and she makes me want to be someone of whom is said “she done good.”
Friend concluded with “However, to show that I haven’t turned into a complete Grinch, I will be hosting a gourmet Christmas buffet dinner on JANUARY 6 , Old Christmas Day, so mark your calendars now !! (includes spouses and partners)”
I answered back that I thought it was a wonderful idea and I will bring a contribution to her church even though none is expected.
I haven’t a clue how I’d show I’m not a complete Grinch (I know I can’t compete with her gourmet buffet) but it’s not about competing so I decided to look for some ideas.
First of all, most of us boomers don’t need more stuff. A lot of us are trying to get rid of stuff. So consumables are always good. Janine enjoys red wine (a delicate way of putting it, ha ha) so for her birthday I gave her three bottles of a quality that she wouldn’t buy for herself.
Abundance swap
But stuff can also be fun, especially for the younger crowd. How about an abundance swap where each person picks three nice items from their home (or from a charity shop; the idea is not to consume more) that they think someone else might like more or use more than they do. You get together, have some refreshments, lay it all out and each person picks something they’d like for themselves or to give away. What doesn’t get picked goes to a thrift store or shelter.
What to buy for Christmas gifts is a first world problem so you could also get together, with the refreshments of course, and pick gifts from a Third World catalogue like Plan Canada, or bring gifts to donate for a shelter.
A lot of gift cards don’t ever get used (we had one for a restaurant that closed) but imagine a young mother getting the gift of a house cleaner. (You don’t have to do it, hire somebody!) My cousin’s daughters gave her acrylic nails and a year of maintenance.
I have a friend whose family gift rule is it must be made, recycled, repurposed, re-anything, as long as it is not bought new.
Daughter # 2 gave Grandson a two-toonie birthday party, with a jar for him and a jar for the SPCA. He got to buy himself a nice gift, learn about giving and the parents didn’t have to think about buying a gift for a child who has plenty anyway.
I found a site called buynothingchristmas.org with 63 ideas and I confess I don’t think all of them are great.
My crafty days and baking days are fewer and farther between and although I love compost, I’m not sure how I’d feel about getting a bucket under the tree.
This may be an age thing. I’ll still enjoy giving to the kids, but the days of going overboard are over. Getting together with boomer friends and giving to others at the same time will probably make me start to like Christmas all over again.
My crafty days and baking days are fewer and farther between and although I love compost, I’m not sure how I’d feel about getting a bucket under the tree.