Some Interesting Ideas For This Holiday Season

This year, my fiancee and I decided that we were going to take a stand. We were not going to succomb to the usual wiles of the holiday season and buy each other yet more stuff that we probably dont need.

Personally, I cant think of anything I even want. Do I really need more clothes? Shoes? Books?

Not really. Im just being honest with myself. Would news stuff be nice? Sure..but the joy that you attain from these items is fleeting at best. So we decided that we would do the following.

Buy our pets a present
Our three cats have a lovely cat tree to play in now. They are part of our family, and since we dont have any kids...they are kinda like our children. Which gets me thinking....

"Hey isnt the holidays all about kids anyway?"

Toys 4 Tots donations
We went toy shopping for the Toys 4 Tots benefit. It gives children toys, that may not be getting any gifts.
Toys 4 Tots website

This was actually ALOT OF FUN. I felt like a kid again! We picked out stuff we thought was cool, and picked up a few classics as well, like teddy bears and dolls. We shopped at the outlet stores only and spent under a hundred dollars. I find this way more gratifying than getting something that I might not even care so much about.

The Humane Society
We got some litter, and food for cats to donate to the humane society. I dont like giving monetary donations to any cause, usually, but it's great to buy some things they need on a regular basis. Cost? 25 Dollars.


Any other ideas? Anyone else fed up with the greed and consumerism this year?

I know not everyone has the means to give, but alot of you do. What do you guys think?

reply to post by InertiaZero

Cooking a meal for someone, making some type of art piece like a card, ceramics, clothing or song, getting someone a plant maybe, are all alternatives to buying mundane items for the sake of "buying something."
Maybe doing a service for someone, as in doing some yardwork, washing a car, or getting them some groceries would be nice too.
If ya do want to buy something though, I found a couple of websites that at least has some unique gift ideas:
www.coolstuffexpress.com...
www.uncommongoods.com...

Peace,
spec

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


All noble ideas!

Nice things dont usually happen often enough

Some associations can facilitate the donation of everything needed for a Christmas meal, for a family in crisis. Find out how old their children are, and throw in a gift for each.


Have you heard of this site?

www.fiverr.com...

Everything for five dollars - unique gifts, no corporations.

And, staying away from the walmarts of the world is one of the best gifts a person can give the world.

reply to post by ItsEvolutionBaby


I saw this website not long ago...and actually..thought about what I could do for 5 dollars.

"I will write you a song for 5 dollars." would probably be the only one I could do.

You can make good money doing this!!

Here is a website I found listed on Vanitas' profile page:

www.freerice.com...

It's a quiz you can play and for each correct answer you 'earn' grains of rice for the hungry.

It might be just the thing to play on a Christmas afternoon or evening when everyone is fed to the gills after dinner or needing some amusement having broken all their new toys.

Fun for all the family and with each correct answer you do someone a good turn

I've got this on my 'favourites' list so I can drop in any time and help a little. Now seems a good time to publicise it.