- Katie from Chicago -
There are so many people who go through this each year, and there are some great ways to meet your goal. Each of them looks to find ways to highlight the "exchange of gifts" over the "use of resources" to reflect the generosity of the season.
1. Donations in name of...
One of the best ways to double your gift is to give to a charitable organization in the name of someone on your gift list. The best way to do this is to pick a charity that meets their personality or passion rather than your own. As an example, in our family grab bag, I had a cousin who is a huge cat lover, and though I am not a pet owner myself, we donated to PAWS on her behalf. You will want to do a bit of research to make sure the organization you choose has a low level of overhead so that as much of your donation as possible goes to the organization.
2. Self-giving
One of the most personal ways to give a gift to someone is to give them the gift of you...or more specifically, your time. If you have a friend or family member who is a new parent, give them the gift of free babysitting (perhaps paired with a dinner out...see below). You can give your spouse a "massage certificate" from you...payable on demand. Again, it personalizes the gift so that you can tailor it to what you know they need.
3. Shop-local gift cards
Depending on where they live, some locations have "shop local" gift cards that the consumer can use at businesses in a local area. Cities like Charlottesville, VA and counties like Dane County, WI have programs where people can buy gift cards accepted at local businesses. Even more personal, if there is a local business or service that you know the recipient likes (like a local restaurant), you can buy them a gift certificate directly to that business.
4. Memberships
Most cities have museums to which individuals or families can belong as members for which they get benefits of access to special events, reduced (or free) admission. In the Chicago area, the Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute, Field Museum, etc. all have programs for family membership which gives your recipient a year's worth of enjoyment.
5. Activity over items
Even if you don't think your giftee will want something in the list above, you can consider giving them something to do rather than something to have. A dinner and a movie gift to new parents as opposed to a DVD player, a year's worth of lawn mowing service instead of a lawn mower to your son and daughter-in-law. These provide a benefit to the recipient but also stimulate the economy with lower resource use.
6. Reused and reconditioned
Especially if you have a movie or book lover, gifts of used books (especially hard to find books) or movies can be both cost effective and enjoyable. Paired with another item on the list, they make a great gift and "wrapping paper" for a gift card or savings bond. Which leads me to....
7. Savings
As a last resort, consider savings programs like bonds as a way to provide a gift to someone, especially kids, who might benefit from the savings. Paired with a gift card or a used book, it provides a "level of gift" you might want to give without trying to match that value with a "thing".
The great thing about this season is the spirit of giving and bringing people together. Enjoy the holidays with all the parties (hopefully with largely organic, non-GMO goodies), outings, and adventures that bring people together. If you make conscious choices, you can still give generously without damaging the environment.
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