Since the newsletter and last blog entry, I’ve come up with a few more ideas on how to have a meaningful Christmas and been inspired by some reader’s comments.
On the weekend I went to Ten Thousand Villages and they too have gifts you can buy for those in the developing world. They call it The Living Gift (available until December 16th) is “designed to inspire alternative gift giving ideas that meet simple human needs for good health and a decent living”. Choose from 5 projects, buying it for someone you want to give to, and in return you receive a detailed description of the project you can give your recipient. For example, just $19 CDN helps communities plant 60 trees! $29 CDN provides a family with a goat, pig, sheep, or 18 rabbits. For an additional $1, you can get a beautiful handmade card and dove ornament! I’m not sure if Ten Thousand Villages in the United States does this as well so if anyone finds out, please leave a comment on this blog.
A reader, Chelsa, brought to my attention an amazing organization called Kiva. She is also a former CareTrek participant so I know her and completely trust her judgment about this program and highly recommend it! It’s truly amazing – it is a non-profit organization that makes loans of $25 US and up to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world. By engaging in this microfinance initiative, individuals like you support people in running their own businesses. They’ve recently reached their one milion dollar mark, where they have sent over a million dollars in Kiva loans overseas!
They were featured in The New York Times magazine on December 10th and were on Frontline World last month. To see this video clip, go to: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/uganda601/uganda-601.html?c=3qt
They also have now introduced Gift Cards, so lenders can purchase a Kiva loan for a friend or family member. What’s beautiful about this project is not only are lenders helping people have sustainable income, but they can also have a personal contact with the lendee via email. For more information, go to: http://kiva.org/app.php?page=about&action=press
More Gift Ideas From the Heart!
Find a photo of the person you’re giving to where they’re doing something they love or in a favorite place of theirs (maybe a photo that you’re in too!), and put it in a special frame. It’s a very personal gift that can be a reminder of beautiful memories.
Find a poem that describes what you love or appreciate about the recipient, or one that speaks to what you wish for that person. If you have the inclination, write the poem yourself! These ones are especially personal and treasured. Get it framed and for a more professional look, take it to a store that engraves invitations and get them to print it up.
Gift Wrapping Ideas!
The blog below is about 2/3’s of what was sent in the newsletter. In the newsletter were ideas about how to wrap gifts without being hard on the environment. One reader was amazed to learn that Christmas is the biggest garbage day of the year and then inspired to give up fancy wrapping paper in favour of using newspaper.
I was thinking that for some that may be a bit more of a leap than you’re willing to take, so here are a few other ideas:
- use leftover pieces of fabric or wallpaper to use for wrapping paper
- use a scarf or tea towel, or reusable shopping bag to wrap the gift so the “wrapping paper” is a gift as well
- put the gift inside a decorative tin, nice wooden box, etc. that can be used for something else by the recipient
- if you’re still wanting to use traditional ways of wrapping, then gift bags are better than paper since they can at least be used a time or two more before wearing out
Two Invitations!
I invite anyone who has more ideas of making Christmas meaningful, to please leave a comment on this blog for all to benefit.
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“Remember, if Christmas isn’t found in your heart, you won’t find it under a tree.”
~ Charlotte Carpenter
Do you want a heartfelt Christmas filled with meaning?
Get a group of people together and do some Christmas caroling! It’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Find out people shut-in through talking with neighbours, and local churches, and go carol in front of their house (or ask if you can go into the entry way).
homemade cookies, a hug, shoveling the walks, etc. etc. This is a really great idea for anyone, but especially kids to make for their family members. It gets them thinking about what Mom and Dad, or brother or sister, would really like (develops empathy), gets them designing coupons (develops creativity), and then the fun of giving something the recipient would love (develops a sense of power and the feeling of how by giving we get back even more in good feelings).
