Today is Giving Tuesday. It’s a day created to remind us of the importance of giving back. Giving Tuesday started in 2011 in response to the buying/commercial frenzy that comes with Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping madness. 

While we, of course, need more than one day per year to give generously to great causes, it is a wonderful reminder to do so. In light of that, I’m donating $5 per appointment with me this month to a local charity. Which charity, you ask? Well, that’s up to you. When you come in for a visit this month, I will have a list of 3 charities and you get to choose which charity you vote for. At the end of the month, I will donate those monies to the most voted-for local charity.

For a number of years now, instead of mailing out Christmas cards to friends and family, I write an online Christmas letter with pictures and stories on a little blog I created. I send that link out via email and then, the money I saved buying and mailing cards (plus more money added in because I really never mailed out that many cards in the first place) goes to charities. After all, though it’s nice to receive a card, they simply get thrown out or recycled not long after–adding to our environmental waste issues.

I get the warm fuzzies doing this and I let those friends and family members know that they also contributed in some way by letting me give up mailing them something.

Other gifting ideas  that let you skip the mall and Amazon

Make something

This year I started early. Or at least I thought I started early enough by getting the yarn ball rolling in September, but I got so excited about making things that I keep adding to my own list! Crocheting, loop knitting (cheating knitting), needle felting, wet felting, etc. 

Do something

Let’s face it. Many of us have enough stuff. I have a “one in, one out” rule we try to keep to in my household. If we buy something, we need to donate or toss something. So, bringing in a pile of stuff means a lot of work to get rid of things. We do sometimes break that rule–no one’s policing us on it–but we make those infractions as relatively rare exceptions to the rule. 

Instead, why not organize doing something with or for the people you’re gifting to? There are so many options! Go to a special event like Breakfast with Santa on Grouse Mountain or The Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Get active and snowshoe together on Cypress or Seymour Mountains or get check out many of the activities like wall climbing or skating at the Richmond Oval. If the holiday season is just too busy, write a coupon to be a local tourist together in January at the Bloedel Conservatory (great view of the city from just outside there too!) or the Vancouver Art Gallery. Of course there’s also live theatre, music events, opera, comedy shows, classes, movies, and dinner out.

Food

It’s wonderful all the baked goods during the holiday season. I’m not much of a baker, but I found a recipe for a pumpkin donuts recipe I hope to try. When I simply don’t have the time to do more, I sometimes gift boxes of Japanese mandarin oranges–they are my favourite!

For Christmas day I usually bring a variety of freshly-made juiced fruits and veggies as a way to try to counter some of the heaviness of the foods while giving us all a bit of energy for the day.

You could even just get all the ingredients to make something and gift an afternoon with friends and family to put it all together and enjoy it afterward.

Time

Not everything has to cost money (or much money). It’s true that time is valuable. I think it’s our most precious commodity, but it’s good not to be too stingy about it. I sometimes find myself very protective of my time, but when I do spend it without worries about the clock when I’m with those I care about, I always get so much joy in return. 

This year I’ve invited friends to join me at my home for us to make crafts. I’m supplying the tools to make everything and it’s something I know we always have fun doing!

See? So MANY options! This year I asked my family for a family pass to Grouse Mountain, so we can go snowshoeing there in winter, check out the reindeer, build a snowman, make a snow angel, and just take in all the snowy fun. In the spring, summer, and fall, I’ll use that pass to do the Grind. My husband has strongly hinted he wants Kobo points as his gift so he can read all the books his heart desires and his eyes can handle. 

And, of course, if you want to gift a TCM consultation or treatment for health to a loved one, let me know and I can do a gift certificate.

What ideas/tips do you have for Giving Tuesday and gifting without the mall or online shopping?