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August 29, 2008 | |||||||
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 It's A Celebration, Not A Deadline! December 20, 2000 Stress? Commercialism? Excess? You've heard it over and over again -- that's not what the holidays are all about. Why not treat yourself to a simpler, more meaningful holiday? All it takes are some good ideas. Dear goodthings, Here are my top 10 ways to approach the holidays -- all to the beat of a slightly different drummer. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. My sister and I started a tradition called "The Dollar Gift." There are only two rules: (1) give or take a few pennies, you can't spend more than a dollar; and (2) it can't be a gag gift. You wouldn't believe the creative gifts this has inspired: a terra-cotta sun plaque for the garden, a twice-loved literary anthology, even an antique jewelry box that needed only a new hinge. Somehow these gifts always reflect the personalities and interests of both the giver and the recipient, perhaps because they call for a little more time and thought. They're also good for the environment, since they often involve a visit to thrift stores and the "last chance" mercantiles found at many recycling centers. CHECK SOMETHING OFF YOUR LIST. Remember, this is a celebration, not a deadline! The holiday police won't show up at your door if you decide to skip something. Better a smile that lights up the room than three days of scowling as you cover every inch of the roof in lights. GO EASY ON THE CANNED PEAS. Okay, so maybe you don't know what a figgy pudding is, but you probably know what goodies would make for a tasty holiday basket. Now bring that sensibility with you as you contribute to local food drives. Along with staples like beans and tuna, don't forget canned blueberries, gourmet soups, roast beef hash and other good things. Doesn't everybody deserve something special? PROLONG THE FEAST. Hungry families need assistance all year long, not just during the holidays. Make it a New Year's resolution to always include a few food-drive items on your grocery list, and then store them in a special bag. Whenever the bag is full, stop by your local food bank. You'll deepen your sense of community and develop a sense of abundance that goes way beyond talk-show truisms. COLLECT COOL KID STUFF. With more than a dozen nieces and nephews, there's no way I can buy each one that "must-have" toy. (Anyway, how many kids have you seen happily playing with last year's Furby?) When I lived in a rural area, I collected flower seeds and sent them to each child, along with crayons and recycled paper for illustrating the gardens that resulted. The gifts were a huge success, and the artwork I received is something we'll treasure all our lives. Along with the joy of all the great conversations that "sprouted." CUT A FEW CORNERS. Yes, it still "counts" if you bake with ready-made sugar cookie dough. The kids won't care. They just want to hang out in the kitchen with you and have fun. SLOW DOWN. No matter how rushed you are, it only takes a few moments to light a candle, practice relaxed breathing, and reflect on everything that's good in your life. DO ONE IMPRACTICAL THING. Pretend you're not "too busy" and start a jigsaw puzzle. Stop at the local library and read one of the holiday picture books (no matter what your age). Walk around the block looking at holiday decorations. SHARE A LAUGH. One holiday a friend and I exchanged handmade "catalogs" made up of ads we'd spotted for the silliest things we could find. The tacky, the hideously extravagant, the downright baffling -- they all went into our little catalogs. The result? Great fodder for comedy and a not-so-silly reminder of how little one really needs to be happy. GIVE WHAT YOU FORGOT YOU HAD. Feeling busy? It only takes an hour to ring a bell for the Salvation Army. Got a few more minutes? Pick up the phone or go online, then pledge a gift of one hour a week or month to a local non-profit. Visit SERVEnet to find volunteer opportunities within your zip code. In the coming year, don't be surprised to find that when you TAKE time, you often MAKE time. When I delivered meals for Alliance on Aging, I saved time by giving up feeling sorry for myself, combining deliveries with one weekly trip to the grocery store instead of several little ones, skipping a soap opera on TV in favor of far more interesting friendships with the people I met along my route. Strapped for cash? Remember that jar of change you have at home? Encourage all your colleagues to join you in rounding up those jars and using them to bring about real "change" in your community. Also, don't be afraid to "shop" your closets, bookshelves, and other storage areas for gently loved items that would help someone in need. Joyce McGreevy Salinas, CA A few of Joyce's favorite goodthings: Jazz piano and Motown, swans, mashed potatoes with butter, gardens both magnificent and makeshift, conversations that go on long after the coffee has gotten cold, public libraries, movie matinees. . . . Joyce is the author of Gardening By Heart: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Garden (Sierra Club Books, 2000) and a previous goodletter contributor. ~~~~~~~ TALK ABOUT IT What are your best ideas for getting the most out of the holiday season? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT Find your local food bank and go drop off a few good things today! Did you miss our piece about Second Harvest, the national hunger relief organization? Check out our story on Emmylou Harris' latest CD. |
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