December 20, 2010

Not Buying Anything For Christmas

Merry Buy Nothing Christmas
In keeping with our move toward sustainability, Not Buying Anything is having a Buy Nothing Christmas. The following ideas are offered as support toward helping you celebrate a non-consumer oriented Alternative Christmas. I hope it helps you spend less (or no) money, and enjoy the holidays (and each other) more.

  1. Avoid shopping between Halloween and the end of January.
  2. Does Consumer Christmas insult your soul? Dismiss it, and make your own low impact, sustainable tradition to celebrate the season.
  3. Be brave and do not give in to the sense of obligation that is fueled by people trying to separate you from your money.
  4. Have a potluck with friends, or a cookie exchange, or both.
  5. Get together around a blazing hearth to enjoy each others company and talk, sing, share, and laugh.
  6. Make all the gifts you will give - be creative and share your special talents.
  7. One year my sister gave me a binder full of song lyrics and chords for guitar. I loved her selection of music and how it was all artfully put together. This could also be done as a cookbook, or photo album, or...
  8. Spend time instead of money. Sure people like neat things, but they probably like you more - spend some time with them doing something you enjoy.
  9. If you want to buy gifts, purchase practical things that the recipient would buy anyway - toothpaste, food, fair trade coffee, tea, or chocolate. How about items to increase self-reliance and emergency preparedness? Such gifts are really needed, and will be appreciated.
  10. Consider that this season is all about helping each other, and often that can be done for free.
Have less. Live more. Help each other.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments will be printed after moderation to eliminate spam. We are proudly a no buying, no selling website.

We enjoy reading all comments, and respond when time permits.

If you put a name to your comment we can all recognize you for your contribution.

Thank you for visiting and commenting.