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December 2002
By Jayne Kaszynski

Throughout the country's malls this week, hordes of holiday shoppers move in a frantic tide between brand name clothing stores in hallways decked with plastic garlands. Their eyes‹if they are anything like myself‹have clouded over after the first twenty minutes of sensory overload. Each one is lugging a variety of shopping bags, possibly with a small child in tow begging for an ice cream cone or hamburger. The economic doomsayers have predicted a vicious fall from glory if Americans donıt turn out in numbers‹their credit cards in hand‹to root for the countryıs home team and defeat the terrorism, but even those people crowding the local superstore have reasons other than economic for celebrating.

Whether focusing on Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or Winter Solstice, most folks agree that spending time with family (even those who drink too much wine and bring the petulant nephew) and focusing on "the important things" before the New Year are what the last half of December is for. If we contrast what Americans believe we do during the holidays (meditation and family togetherness) with what we end up spending most of our time accomplishing (shopping), along with the fact that most religions instruct against materialism, it is clear that there is a profound disconnection happening between our hearts and our daily schedule.

The simplest way to change your holiday for the better is the one that credit card and marketing companies, retail outlets, and government economists fear the most:: dramatically alter your gift-giving habits. By adopting any of the following suggestions you can convert shopping headaches to time for yourself and your family.

• Create a gift circle or exchange names, thus giving each person more time and energy to come up with a really good gift for one person as well as cutting down on extra clutter and wasteful packaging.
• Pick one gift and make/give one to everyone. A friend of my family makes hand dipped candles; another woman Iıve heard of makes flavored honey. This saves time and, if you make them, allows you to show off your talents. The only downside is that friends quickly become attached to receiving your "signature" gift each year! Pick something new you would like to learn each year and learn to do it while creating presents. If youıve always wanted to try watercolors, paint a picture for everyone. If youıve been yearning to try ceramics, make bowls or mugs. This way you combine valuable time to learn something new while taking care of your holiday gift list.
• Let your experience lend a hand while helping your friends lead a stress-free life. Do you know computer technology well? Have a fantastic green thumb? Extra time to baby-sit? Give loved ones the gift of your time, energy and expertise. Take a moment and make gift vouchers listing your particular talent (and how much time youıre gifting) to include with a card.
• Give needed items. Most Americans have more stuff than they need or consistently use. Practical items are a way to show your love without cluttering up your loved oneıs house. Gift exemption vouchers, which you can make yourself or download at online at www.simpleliving.net, can be traded with close friends so neither of you feel compelled to give the other person a useless gift simply because itıs expected.
• Donıt give gifts to people whom you do not want to. People often end up buying each other gifts long after there is any emotional or even diplomatic reason to do so. If thereıs no other reason to give someone a gift than because they may give you one, donıt do it. The worst that will happen is that they no longer send you gifts.

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