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What is your strategy for giving
gifts that matter this holiday?
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Originally Published October 5,
2004 -- Your Wellness Guide
Be a Conscious
Consumer This Season
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For additional
holiday ideas and seasonal activities, check out these columns:
Create a Wellness Lifestyle With Your Holiday Gifts
Create Happy,
Enjoyable Holiday Giving
Meaningful Holiday Memories
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As the
holidays near, spending increases. Showering gifts galore on your
loved ones is usually the norm in the U.S., with the economy looking
forward to the annual shopping binge. How will you spend your
hard-earned money this season? And what is your strategy for giving
gifts that matter?
“People want to use their money wisely to reflect deeper values,”
says Betsy Taylor, president for the Center for a New American Dream
(www.newdream.org).
“Ask yourself ‘How can I wake up during the holidays and feel
renewed, uplifted, with deep connections to the ones I love?’” |
With nearly
four out of five Americans saying that they would like to have a
simplified holiday this year, Taylor also recommends that people focus
more on relationships with friends and family rather than gift giving.
Oftentimes this connection can be made with consciously spending more time
with a friend, giving service to a loved one, or creating alternative
gifts of time or experience and homemade things.
You might
make a hand-made certificate that says you will cook three dinners for a
dear friend with a week’s notice, resulting in a lasting emotional
impact. Or you might donate money to a charity in the name of a relative.
There are a
lot of options for making conscious consumer gift choices this year —
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Think
Environmental
Many
gifts have an environmentally sound twist. “There is a real
misconception that ‘green’ products are harder to find or more
expensive,” says Darryl Young, California’s Department of Conservation
director.
Other
ideas include giving a gift of organic products from a local farmer’s
market in a pretty basket, supporting your local farmer and the
environment. Or, consider reducing your power use and your utility
bill with energy-wise appliance, home, and electronic gifts. A great
resource is
www.ase.org/consumers — an online
guide from the Alliance to Save Energy. |
Photo Courtesy: Lindsay Olives
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Good For You
Wellness-oriented gifts are also good choices. If what you give can
improve your loved one’s quality of life — emotionally, physically,
spiritually, intellectually, socially — you have done a great thing.
Options are everywhere. Top places to look for ideas are your local
bookstore, health food or fitness store, or yoga studio.
The Giftionary by Robyn Freedman Spizman has hundreds of gift-giving ideas
Social
Benefits
A number of gifts have feel-good social connections. Many are donations
of money for causes. Others are tangible gifts with profits going to a
cause. Be wary of responding to phone solicitations. Instead, look to
purchase from or give to trusted organizations. Some companies, local and
national, offer seasonal products with proceeds going to a cause.
As a resource, the American Institute of Philanthropy rates charities at
www.charitywatch.org —
click on
“Top-Rated” for those charities who are given the highest grade. Many of
these organizations will send your loved one a card to recognize your gift to
the charity in a friend’s name. Or, if you want your loved one to
choose their charity of choice, check out the service offered at
www.charitychecks.us.
Terra
Wellington
is a
national authority on creating a wellness lifestyle.
www.terrawellington.com
© Copyright Terra
Wellington
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