Christmas and other gift oriented winter holidays - better ways to handle [View All]

[kayell]

A huge percentage of yearly sales occur in the month before Christmas. A lot of this is for gifts that people don't use or even want. A lot is in seasonal decorating and trinkets. Clothing with themes suitable for only a month at best takes up a huge amount. Factor in the amount of packaging and waste involved and it's clear that the holidays are benefiting the corporations more than anyone else.

This will be one of our first challenges - holiday shopping is virtually instinctual it has been so ingrained in our consumer culture. Lets support each other with ideas on how to stay out of the marts, and have a non-corporate holiday full of the meanings we want to give it.

A lot of my strategy in recent years has been to make most gifts. Jams and jellies, pickles, seasoned vinegars, simple wood toys, framed photos, spiced nuts, etc. One of my brothers gave one of the best gifts I've ever received - CDs of scanned images from a century of old family photos. My daughter has given a family excursion to see The Nutcracker.

Please post ideas to help us all wean ourselves from the Christmas monster. Ideas for children especially are useful.