Presents piled high under the tree has long equaled a joyous, smile-filled Christmas morning. I too enjoyed plastic toy ladden holidays (I had a serious My Little Pony collection) and have had great fun being a part of holidays where kids and adults have received big gifts they didn't expect.
What if we restructured our giving and receiving expectations? Sure you could use the down economy or the handmade pledge as motivation, but dig a little deeper.
We start traditions in our own families based on what we experienced or wished we experienced as kids. So, why not start a tradition of less? Our children, friends, and family are not permanently hardwired to have to receive a certain number of gifts or a large scale item every year. Why does a dollar value have to equate to affection during the holidays?
And for the products we do purchase, why not consider leaving on the shelves the ones that have too much packaging. Manufacturers won't shrink their packaging and wasteful habits unless consumers vote with their dollars.
This year I'm continuing to make an effort at thoughtful gifts, so I thought I'd share a few shops and ideas that I love in hopes that others might be inspired to find just the right gift rather than a lot of so-so gifts to go under the tree or for eight crazy nights.
Paloma's Nest- Absolutely gorgeous ceramic work that can be custom made.
Belle & Boo- Great illustrator out of the UK with my absolute favorite images of late.
Nudo- Adopt an olive tree in Italy for a year and receive the olive oil it creates in return.
A Bushel and a Peck- Vintage bits used to make fab brooches (place a custom request for each).
Adagio Teas- Create a custom blend and gorgeous label for the tea drinker who has every flavor.
Matthew Stewart- Hand blown glass birds that you can custom order in just about any color.
Locality- these custom signs are awesome, a bit pricey, but so perfect for a special gift
Pennies for Peace- If you've heard of Three Cups of Tea (the book), this is part of the real organization.
Blurb- the best site for making photo books, and they have gift certificates.
And of course books. My favorites for kids this year include The Giant Jam Sandwich, Zen Shorts, The Pet Dragon (paired with a cool Buddha board), "Stand Back!" said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze", and Is Your Mama a Llama?
What do you love this season?
some of my favorite etsy shops :) one thing my mom and i have been doing, at least, is making sure the last few years to only use recyclable or reusable materials to wrap our gifts. we use a lot of plain butcher paper with colorful string and yarn, or pretty tea towels that can move into the kitchen to be used later. the challenge makes wrapping lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. I need to work through the jumbo rolls of paper I bought on sale at Michaels two years ago and then I'm totally in to this!
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