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LiveAbundantly.com
is a world wide web ministry of
Christ
Presbyterian
Church
a center of faith
for living abundantly
3400 State Road
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
USA 19026
What If God Was One
of Us?Get
Ready Now For Christmas
'Twas
The Beginning of Advent
How
the Great Guest Came
10 Tips for
Simpler Christmas
The Christmas
Pledge
The Joy of
Responsible Gift-Giving
The
Magic's In You
More
Meaning with Less Money
Shop
Right: Presents that make a difference
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The Joy of Responsible Gift-Giving
One of the greatest pressures is to spend on gifts, especially during the
holidays. Whether the celebration is Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, many
people find the consumer frenzy exhausting. After the celebration, they may be
left with unsatisfying gifts and consumer debt. The emotional toll may even be
greater. The holidays are supposed to inspire us; instead they exhaust us. We
spend so many hours in cars and shopping malls that we often have little time
left to experience the joy of the season.
Don't despair. There are many creative ways to express the spirit of peace, joy
and generosity of the season without pulling out your credit card. Many of the
following suggestions are suitable for any holiday, as well as birthdays:
1. Chronicle your family history by assembling photographs, letters and
important documents. Make this your one gift to the entire family.
2. Record a family oral history on audio tape with commentary from
parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles. Such a gift will be truly
treasured in years to come after people pass away.
3. Knit a sweater or build a birdhouse.
4. Frame one of your best photographs.
5. Make a tape of your favorite music.
6. Design a gift certificate which gives baby-sitting to a close friend, an
afternoon at a museum or art gallery to a grandparent, or a candlelight
massage to your partner.
7. Host a potluck party instead of a giant holiday feast.
8. Make your own cards and send them only to relatives and good
friends.
9. Work with a social services agency to find a family in need, then
share appropriate gifts with them.
10. Shop for secondhand toys.
Children need not suffer under this alternative approach to the holidays. Take
them caroling, help them make gifts for grandparents and cousins and involve
them in assembling gift boxes for the homeless. Along with their holiday
presents, they will experience the unexpected joy of giving.
From The
Center for A New American Dream |
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Unplug
the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love & Joy Back
Into the Season by Jo Robinson & Jean Coppock Staeheli
[One of the most comprehensive
guides to managing Christmas stress and combating commercialism]
A
Leader's Guide to Unplug the Christmas Machine
Hundred
Dollar Holiday: The Case for A Joyful Christmas
By Bill McKibbes
Simplify
Your Christmas: 100 Ways to Reduce the Stress and Recapture the Joy of the
Holidays
by Elaine St. James
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