Holiday Season and Buying

I've been asked by a couple of folks for advice on holiday shopping. Here are some ideas in random order:?

1) If you have changed careers to mission-driven work, share you story with your family and friends while gathered if you have the opportunity. You never know what you might inspire and change in people. We could use all the brainpower, money and dialogue we can get to help address climate change and social inequality.?Disclaimer: you know your audience, so consider that always in how and when you approach the topic.

2) Don't buy gifts--buy experiences, or a book, or a card. Or hell, just give straight up cash if you think that will be the most useful. Money gives people options--a lot of people need more of it. Also remember, you don't "owe" anyone a present. Try to resist getting caught up if you have peers or friends that buy a lot of presents for the sake of it. And also try to not judge them, we are all programmed from an early age by advertising. If you've managed to unplug from the machine to a certain extent, don't bring sanctimony into the mix. That doesn't help anything.?

3) Buy a reusable tree or skip it altogether. You can get a great pine candle and hang lights and other decorations. We need to stop cutting down trees our planet desperately needs for decoration. It's ridiculous.?

4) Make sure to tell the people that you love and who matter to you those things throughout the year.?And if you know someone just really loves gifts, give them things that remind you of them when you come across the thing. Not when consumerist culture tells you to buy, buy, buy.?

5) Do some acts of service this season with your family or friends--and do it together--serve at a soup kitchen, drop clothing off to a shelter, see what your local church or community center has planned to support people. Shared humanity and connection is the greatest gift of all.?

6) If you have a box of wrapping paper, ribbons and bows have fun using random wrapping that might mean something to the gift-receiver. And if you don't do that, start now, that stuff can be reused many, many times and so much gets wasted. Consider NOT wrapping things. Consider magazines and newspapers if you still get those.

6) Please feel free to drop ideas in the comments, the more the merrier.