The Common Ground ~ Gifts with a Conscience

Gifts with a Conscience

Gift giving is an art form, a powerful means of communicating our care for others. Wouldn't it just be great if all the gifts we gave did no harm to the earth, to children in third world countries, to our animal friends, or to our local economies? With a little creativity and effort we can give memorable gifts that make a difference rather than just make more stuff to fill our closets and shelves ...

Many Americans are looking to make the holidays more meaningful and less material these days. We're tired of zipping from store to store, feeling pressured to spend, spend, spend, to find all those perfect gifts. Leading the charge is the Center for a New American Dream, which has issued a "Simplify the Holidays" brochure since 1997. Along with other groups, they urge Americans to refocus on the meaning of the holidays -- peace on earth and goodwill toward others – no matter what tradition you come from.

"We want people to think about the environmental and social consequences of consumption," said Dave Tilford, senior writer at the center. "We also want to say you can have fun with less stuff. Too often we buy without thinking about what we're doing." A recent survey commissioned by another group found that 33 percent of people admitted they'd thrown away at least one gift last year (not to mention all that fancy packaging that ends up in our landfills).

The center's "Simplify the Holidays" brochure, available at online at www.newdream.org, has a collection of great tips for creating memorable holidays without all the emphasis on shopping and spending. The ideas range from making homemade gifts such as a family calendar, scrapbook or a collection of recipes; to offering to teach someone a skill you have, or provide a service, such as landscaping, photography or tax help; to gifts of time, such as a voucher for baby-sitting, organizing a hike or walking someone's dog.

Here’s some more ideas for making the most of giving during the holidays:

Give twice by supporting a business or cause you believe in
Give gifts that are consumable rather than clutter- creating like specialty food and bath baskets or home made candies.
Wrap gifts in gifts like cloth bags, scarves, dish towels or special pillow cases
Lasting memories often have more to do with experiences than presents -- create family holiday traditions, whether it's caroling, reading holiday stories aloud, lighting special candles, making a gingerbread house, volunteering together, attending a religious service, or going to the theater.

Common Ground. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Tea for Two Basket

Line a basket with cloth napkins and fill it with some of our very best teas, a jar of honey, a candle, two teacups and a couple coasters. Top with an assortment of shortbread cookies and a special note.

Coffee & Chocolate

Line a basket with cotton dish towels and fill it with a selection of our organic coffees, a couple mugs and coasters, and some natural coffee filters. Top with mouth-watering chocolate (bars or candies) and a special card.

Bath & Body

Line a basket with cotton washcloths and fill it with our specialty soaps, bath oils, lotions, incense, an incense holder, and a candle. Top with bubble bath, a natural loofah sponge, and a special card.

Cook’s Basket

Find a favorite recipe from one of our great cook books, bookmark it with a special note and place it in a basket lined with cotton dish towels. Fill the basket with recipe ingredients, organic oils and gourmet dried spices.