worldvision has a catalogue of stuff that you can buy for developing countries... me and the kids get together and pick stuff out from that with the money that relatives send them. it got nauseating going out and finding some piece of stuff that they would just break or whatever, so they each pick out a goat or a chicken and a rooster for a family through this catalogue, and they like that alot.

as far as my brothers and my mom and dad, i usually get stuff througout the year when i see things that i think they would like... i hate the thought of just buying any old thing so there is something under the tree, i want it to be something special. usually by the time november comes along, i have something special for most of the people on my list. anybody who i can't find anything for gets a donation to the cancer society in their name, cause we have a lot of family members with cancer.

I always served meals to the homeless.

beauty.

Dear Sharshar,

Yep, I am middle-aged and pretty much sick of the commercial Christmas thing. I am going to work at local shelter to help serve meals and just chat with people. I have never done this before and am looking forward to getting more involved in this area regularly. I also hope to encourage my two girls to get involved too. We always give money for World Vision at Christmas time in stead of gifts for the adults which i really enjoy . I work at a dollar store as cashier and try to encourage some of the "crazed" shoppers to show restraint and remember what the season is really about.. sometimes it works.. yeahh

Peace and JOy GG

What? Sylviac hasn't arrived to spout about the evils of homosexuality yet?

In Scotland they seem to KNOW what Christmas is about:

NEWS ITEM (from today's Glasgow Herald) -
:
Scotland's business community reacted furiously last night to a "mad" decision by MSPs to ban major stores from opening on Christmas Day and New Year's Day - even though the latter measure is likely to be dropped later.Liz Cameron, managing director of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said angrily: "This bill which received the support of MSPs today is legislation gone mad. The question of whether large retailers open on Christmas Day and New Year's Day is properly a matter for businesses and their employees, not government."

Hi Blah!

Don't pick on Slviac. If you're mssing her witty rejoinders... If they make homosexuality compulsory, I'm out of here! (Compulsory heterosexuality isn't cool either, mind).

Have a happy day!

I just came on this link to a new copy of Virginia Brucker's book "Gifts from the Heart" Simple Ways to Make Your Family's Christmas More Meaningful...
(just copy and paste )
http://www.webelieve.ca/bookreview.htm

Ms Brucker is a lovely lady from Nanoose Bay, B.C. and the website has tons of ideas and information and the articles are available online with persmission to reprint...
and it's a CANCER RESEARCH FUNDRAISER... what could be better ?

Now that our children are older, my husband's family and my brother and I decided to stop buying for the kids. We now chose a charity/agency in my husband's home town and all his family will cut a cheque to an agreed upon charity. My borhter and I do the same for a charity in our hometown. Much easier for sure than trying to decide on colour and size and style, makes us feel better that we are in some small way helping out the less fortunate too. We had our shoebox ready for a week or so ago. Now that was fun. Hubby and I both took part and came up with clothes, school suppliies, toiletries, and a toy. That box will quite likely be the best $35 we spend this year.

Blah can't you have a discussion without bringing up homosexuals?

LOL!!!

One of the things I long to do is to observe Advent as a season of waiting (Advent is the 4 weeks before Christmas -- this year it starts on Dec, 3 and goes to sundown on Dec. 24). Then we could observe Christmas as a 12 day holiday period that starts at sundown on Christmas Eve rather than ending then and goes until Epiphany (January 6). But, with our culture putting things up in stores and on private homes (half the houses in my town alreayd have lights) long before Advent even starts, waiting is a tough sell.

The world is full of money mongers. I think each person should take their stand and choose. You cann't legislate values when the gov't has casinoes open 24/7. I try to live each day with the intent to do the best that I can and strive to do better. This Christmas, I've resolved to see how many people from lapsed friendships that I can visit, even for a brief time. Maybe I'll learn something.

This year I'm a tad scattered. While I have bought presents for family (which I usually do, but generally they are only tokens), I am also giving donations to various charities in their name. This year it's Oxfam. In the past, we've given to the SPCA, WWF, etc. Comming from an upper middle-class background, we all have so much *stuff* - and really, does anyone really need another scented candle, insense, or journal? If it is the thought that counts, then the act of donating time or money to a cause certainly fulfills that - especially if it a cause that you know the person is passionate about. This way those that need the resources are supported. Oh, and it also keeps me out of the malls! What could be better?

For years I have always made my neices and nephews their Chrsitmas presents. They have have ranged from treasure boxes to flannel jammie bottoms to fleece vests. This year I decided to do something different. I have asked their parents for a charity in their area that they favor and will be making a donation in their name to that charity. I wil be using the World vision Gift Catalouge as well to purchase gifts on behalf of several of them. Last year one of my nephews went through a rough time so my partner and I decided to provide boots and coats to the homeless in his name.We will do this again and will be a Chrismtas tradition for us. My parents are eldery and have asked that we not give them anything. As i come from a large family and both parents love and enjoy children, I knitted hats and scarves for the YWCA programs and donated them in their name. I will acknowledge the various donations with computer made cards.

wow, its great to see more and more people turning into the community for gift-giving, rather than into the mall parking lot.

Hoping everyone a gay Christmas!

go and 'make the yuletide gay' as well, dr!!!

how about actually writing christmas cards that mean something? not just "merry christmas, best wishes" but an affirmation of that person, or a memory you treasure about them. i did this for my brother and his friends at his graduation, and was surprised and warmed by how truly grateful and touched they were to receive some simple words about how i experience them. i think i realized just how rare it is to receive honest, kind, and personal words from others. i've made it a habit to share my appreciation of my friends and family in this way.

I feel a bit stuck in my family's tradition of everyone buying a gift for everyone. Honestly, I can think of a thing that anyone of them need. i try to give useful and meaningful gifts. I think once I have my own family we will make other traditions. Giving to those who have more needs that we do is one idea (that ideally should occur beyond the Christmas season, do you not think?). Maybe for friends and family, spending some time baking, because food and treats are things that don't sit around unused all year after a few weeks of infatuation. Every year our home gets packed with more "stuff". I have developed a definite disdain for "stuff". I was in wal-mart the other day, and could not figure out where all that stuff goes, and how there is room in the world for all of it! Of course consumerism is an issue that goes far beyond Christmas, and its kind of scary when you think of it. Out with the old and in with the new. The old goes to second hand and thrift stores or to the dump, where we then forget about it.

Sorry. That was my stuff rant.

I'm finding the discussion interesting because, while I applaud everyone's efforts to make Christmas meaningful, either by volunteering or by choosing ethical gifts, making gifts, or just choosing the right gift - it forced me to think about what I was doing that was really creative. Something really different - not just making gifts, or choosing them differently.

If I were looking for something to make a film about, I'd want something really creative and active. But, as usual I will be ordering on-line, singing caroles and eating more than I should. All very sedentary activities.

The one different thing we are doing at our church this year, has been inviting the local health nurse in to offer a special gift to the homeless who come to our community lunch. Pneumonococal vaccine.

But when I think about what my community needs I feel like I should be out doing something really active - actually building a homeless shelter for example - our community doesn't have one, Or taking the Christmas story to a place it doesn't usually go - like doing street theatre that tells the Christmas story on the actual street, in the midst of skid row, or standing at the doors of the SRO hotels that have been closed to make way for the Olympics and demanding a room at the inn.

Hmmm - gives me ideas.