Simpifying the Holidays

Do you ever have one of those moments when you think, "Where've you been all my life?"

I had one of those last week when I clicked on a link on another blogger's site and discovered The Center for a New American Dream.  Their mission is to "to cultivate a new American dream—one that emphasizes community, ecological sustainability, and a celebration of non-material values"  -- well, hallelujah!

John, who is naturally suspicious wanted to know how it was funded and who supports it, but after some quick research, even he gave it the seal of approval.  I've begun following their blog on my RSS feed and have loved every article thus far.  (Recent articles include the following:  "My Attempt to Buy Nothing this October," "Etsy Goes Beyond Online Sales to Support Local Economies," "Break Free from the Carbon Confusion," "A Smaller Piece of a Better Pie: Embracing 'Luxurious Frugality.'"  Hooked ya, yet?

They have an entire booklet devoted to simpifying the holidays (who's not interested in doing that?)
As a part of that page, they ask that viewers pledge to 5 of the following 15 suggestions in order to simplify the holidays.  I LOVE this list and thought I'd share.

 

GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME by creating your own gift card for a service (e.g., babysitting, carwashing, petsitting, chores, making dinner, organizing an outing).
GIVE A HANDMADE GIFT like a memoir of cherished memories with that person, a book of family recipes, a collage of pictures and mementos, or a calendar filled with the birthdays and anniversaries of friends and family.
OFFER TO TEACH A SKILL YOU POSSESS (e.g., knitting, photography, computer skills, financial planning, a foreign language, music lessons, canning tomatoes, cooking a favorite recipe).
CONSIDER LESS GIMMICKY, LESS COMMERCIAL GIFTS for children, such as arts/crafts supplies, books, a magnifying glass, or building blocks.
CREATE A PAPERLESS HOLIDAY LETTER on the computer and email it to friends and family.
HAVE A WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY at the office instead of a traditional gift exchange, where each person brings a wrapped secondhand item in good condition.
DRAW NAMES IN YOUR FAMILY FOR GIFT-GIVING (for extra fun and surprise, make it "Secret Santas"), so that you can put more time and thought into one gift instead of having to give to several people.
SHOP FOR USED ITEMS for all or most of your holiday gifts (e.g., local thrift store, Craigslist, Freecycle, used products on Amazon or eBay).
SHARE THE GIFT OF MUSIC by caroling, and include visits to elderly neighbors or a nursing home. Or, gather friends and family for an in-home holiday sing-a-long.
GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY by preparing care packages for the homeless, or volunteering at an organization to help those in need during the holiday season.
ADOPT A "LESS IS MORE" ATTITUDE toward holiday decorating. Opt for natural trimmings such as clippings from local evergreens and holly bushes.
SAVE PAPER by wrapping gifts in newspaper comics, junk mail, paper bags decorated with markers, old maps, phone books, or other reused paper.
PREPARE YOUR HOLIDAY MEALS with as many seasonal, locally grown, and/or organic foods as possible.
REDUCE JUNK MAIL by removing your name from mailing lists of unwanted holiday catalogs.
CELEBRATE BUY NOTHING DAY on November 23 and spend that day doing community service, visiting an elderly friend, helping a neighbor, or just enjoying time with family.

 To join me and make your pledge to simplify the holidays, click here!  I doubt you'll regret it.