A Simple Gift: Redefine The Holidays

Call me Mrs. Grinch (it's okay - my kids already have) but my family isn't exchanging gifts this season. Alright, that's not entirely true, but instead of material gifts, we are taking a trip. This means no wrapping, shipping or returning unwanted presents and no staying up 'til the early hours of Christmas morn' wrapping more gifts for the sake of consumption. Instead, we'll be beachside, far from home, soaking up some sun.

Sadly, though, no one but me is happy about this. The husband reports that he enjoys waking up at home on the big day to see all of the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. The children claim, "It's not fair." They inform me that they're angry that they didn't have any say in the decision to pack up and get out of town for the holidays. They want "things," like a dog... or a dog... or a dog. Or a laptop. And since we aren't in the market just now for a dog or a laptop, I can't bare to shop for "things" that will only add to the surplus of "things" we already have and don't "need." So rather than waste the time, energy, money and pretty paper it would take to bring more unnecessary stuff into our home, I've chosen not to further increase our carbon footprint this winter season. Santa's little helper is going on holiday this year.

In the spirit of the season, I'm choosing instead to celebrate my family and special friends. I am letting each of them know that I am grateful for all of the good in our lives, our health, our home, our feet on the ground, My gift to them is to help them focus on what truly matters, and do my best to show them that our good fortune is a gift in and of itself. My gift to myself, a by-product of this approach to the holiday season, is to spare my sanity.

Turns out I'm not the only one who's trying to redefine the holidays. The Dalio Family Foundation, led by Bridgewater Associates Founder snd Chairman Raymond T. Dalio, is running weekly advertisements this season in The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and The Wall Street Journal. The ads promote the redefinechristmas.org website and encourage us to redefine Christmas by giving donations to charities on behalf of others and in turn, asking that they make contributions on our behalf.

For tips on giving and making charitable gifts click through to:
• www.justgive.org to search for and purchase gift certificates for charities that are "right" for you
• www.networkforgood.org which brings together donors, volunteers and charities to accomplish good
• www.tisbest.org delivers an electronic charity gift card
• www.changingthepresent.org lets donors choose which nonprofit to support but also what they want to accomplish.
• www.GiveWell.net begins with a "simple question: where should I donate?" They seek to help donors find great charities by identifying the best by cause (in which they can compare apples to apples). No easy feat but one to watch.
• subscribe to GOOD magazine for one year if you must have something beneath the tree. 100% of your money goes to help an organization of your choice.

The spirit of redefinechristmas.org is what the "world needs now." And forever. And now, let's sing.

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.
by Joseph Brackett, Jr., 1848

For more holiday season tips , click here for more from Huffington Post's Living!

Comments

[Rockwell]

I admire your intentions and I hope you have a great vacation. I'm assuming you are gettting to the beach by river-raft since your carbon footprint is one of the reasons for the present-free holiday.

Of course getting crap we don't need for Christmas is a centuries long tradition, from ancient Rome to oranges and peppermints in Laura Engles' stocking to cabbage patch kids and iPod Nanos.

If we all took your approach, the travel industry would be jazzed but the rest of the economy would collapse.

Buying stuff from each other is what has fueled human prosperity and quality of life since egyptian times.

Can we tone down the consumerism? Yes, of course. I for one am going to start a petition to have McDonalds stop putting those crappy toys in the kids meal.

But should we eliminate consumerism? Seems a little selfish and a bit holier-than-thou to impose your definition of a Merry Christmas on your husband and kids.

Normally I wouldn't critisize, but hey, you're the one who brought it up.

Merry Christmas!

[LanceBoyle]

Admirable intentions here. But how do you plan to travel without increasing your carbon footprint?

[rlc41]

What ever has caused the cut back on foolish spending, and I'm sure the economy is the major cause, I hope that buying less is something that catches on and last all year for many years. It is insane this foolishness of spending more than you make for just more clutter that has to be dealt with. Simiplfy and think about actually living debt free. How many of you would work 60 hours a week if you didn't have that 30% interest on a credit card where the balance due never gets paid off. Think of driving a car that is "paid for" instead of constantly leasing a car that you never will actually own. And in my state, the older the car the less the plates and taxes are. Think of living a life where you and your family are not only two pay checks away from being homeless. Think of that when you think you just have to upgrade something that functions just fine. If money and simplicity doesn't move you perhaps thinking about not wasting limited natural resources and not contributing to the ever growing garbage stream might. Or think of all the time you waste on aimless shopping. Isn't there better uses for your time?

[truth101]

Why isn't this blog the headline on
the front page?

the headline

The Carbon IMPRINE of
Christmas gifts: Don't
buy a dam thing!!!!

[BadChristian]

I remember, before the "Mega malls" and massive consolidation, Christmas was a good thing for the community, 'cause the money was spent in the community. The whole community was in a better mood back then, it seemed. Not just furious 'cause they couldn't get EXACTLY what they wanted to get, either for themselves or someone else.

I agree with the above commenter, I think. But, I just don't think Americans are interested in maintaining the communities that previous generations strived to make... THey just fly away, and before you know it, there's a Wall-Mart or a mega mall that has everything.

The little neighborhood vendor might not have everything, but I miss them, and I think they were a lot better than our current "Buy'n'mass."

[usna73]

What you are advocating is good, but just not enough. Simply giving money and going to the beach is not a sacrifice.

I'm not saying that you may not have earned some rest and relaxation, but that still makes the Holiday about you.

There are countless isolated people, shut ins and families with children with special needs who never have a visitor during holiday times.

I know. We are one of those. We have enough money. It's having my children being "invisible" when the break comes for everyone else that is most troubling.

Perhaps your kids will grow up to think differently if you don't teach them that charity is about money.