Christmas Without the Stuff

Dec. 2, 2010 — It’s been slowly dissipating for a number of years until that feeling I once looked forward too is finally gone. The songs that once melted my heart just seem repetitious. Decorating gives me an unsettling feeling of Déjà vu. (Do I really need to put up the tree again and didn’t I just take it down?)  It’s a time for shop ’til you drop, but I can’t bear to go to stores that have been swathed in red and green since Halloween.

Only recently I’ve been able to admit the disturbing fact that I’ve lost the holiday spirit. Each year as the Christmas season officially crashes down the day after Thanksgiving, I cringe, grit my teeth and chant, “this too shall pass”. I’ve actually been heard to mumble a few bah, humbugs. The images of packed malls, the obligation to be overly joyful, and the figuring out what stuff to buy on a tiny budget has just gotten too overwhelming. And do I really need to give stuff to someone in exchange for them giving me stuff — sounds more like a treaty agreement rather than the spirit of giving. And here’s a news flash — I don’t need any more stuff. I’m trying to get rid of the stuff I already have.  (If you buy books on Amazon.com and see any used books being sold by Biograph II Productions, buy a book — please!)

Along with my Grinch outlook I must admit there is some sadness over losing that special sensation of excitement and anticipation in the pit of my stomach when “stockings were hung up by the chimney with care and images of sugar plums danced in my head”, metaphorically speaking.  (My childhood home didn’t have a chimney to hang stockings on and what the heck are sugar plums anyway, dancing or otherwise?)  As they say, you can’t go home again so I don’t try to recapture lost feelings, but recently I’ve begun to realize my cynicism can be just as much of a burden as my struggle to be jolly. So this year I’m trying something new. I’m ignoring the TV news, especially anything to do with stampeding holiday shoppers; I won’t go into malls (although that’s a year-round decision), and I’m looking for simplicity. With unemployment sounding more like a pandemic than an economic data point, my goal this year is to toss aside the trappings of Christmases past and make peace with a holiday that I’d prefer to ignore. So this is my holiday plan this year.

Mom’s Recipes
My mother died about 3 years ago, but I still have her recipes written in her own hand on 3×5 cards. Just the smell of Chocolate Nut Revels, or Scotch Shortbreads makes me joyful. This year I will take out my mother’s recipe file and spend long days baking. (My skills as a cook are — how should I say this — terrible, bordering on dangerous. I, therefore, would advise anyone with any sense to stay clear of the Maryland border in the days before the holidays.)  The results of my hard work will be packaged up in pretty paper (recycled, of course) and given to friends and family who are aware of my baking ineptitude so have tasters standing by.

Spinning Vinyl
My sister and her partner will be joining my husband and myself for Christmas. One of our favorite Christmas records when my sister and I were young was not Elvis Presley’s Christmas Album, not The Carpenters’ Christmas Portrait and not even White Christmas by Bing Crosby; we cherished our scratchy vinyl copy of Christmas on the Ponderosa. Amazingly this Bonanza yuletide wonder can now be purchased on DVD. This year we will sing-a-long with Ben, Hose, Little Joe and Adam, must to the chagrin of my husband.

Wassailing Party
Every year for the last 18, my friend, and neighbor, has hosted a tea party at her house. (We’re changing the name for obvious reasons.)  Some of the people I meet there I only see at this once-a-year event. We sit around a roaring fire, chat, while eating cucumber and butter tea sandwiches and sip tea or eggnog. It’s all very civilized and British.  This year will be a little different, however. Pooling the talents of the guests — voice, piano, recorder and flute — we”re putting on a live concert. (See note above about staying away from the Maryland border.)

Lest you think my Grinchiness is an excuse for stinginess, I will be spending a few bob, but judiciously and with eye toward the planet — sort of my Christmas present for Earth. After all, I do produce a Web site about climate change and I don’t want to be caught red handed buying plastic, bottled water or, heaven forbid, anything from a big box store. If you’re of the same mind, here are some suggestions:

Go Local
Walk or bike to your local shops that sell fair trade goods. Not only will your carbon footprint be small, but you’ll also help give your local economy a shot in the arm and at the same time save environments and cultures around the world. I patronize a wonderful teashop in our neighborhood and most of my shopping will be done there — baskets of fair trade tea, coffee and chocolate for everyone on my list. And since these items are consumable, I won’t be adding more stuff to someone’s home.

Go Surfing
Granted, local shops selling fair trade goods many not be an option in your neck of the woods, so the Web might be the next best option. A recent report found that E-commerce can have a significant impact on the environmental footprint by optimizing transport logistics, reducing overproduction and warehouse space. The study also found that significant environmental savings can be achieved if online shopping replaces 3.5 traditional shopping trips. So, here are just some suggestions for online gifts:

Eco Lunch Gear
Eco Lunch Gear is all about an eco-friendly lunch. Founder, Tina Beatty, says Eco Lunch Gear’s reusable, washable organic-cotton sandwich wraps and snack bags are designed to replace plastic baggies.

Get 10 percent off everything until Dec 15th with checkout code ‘Thanks’. Also for orders $50 or more there is free shipping. Just click on free shipping. Only newsletter subscribers to Eco Lunch Gear know about these great promotions, but I’m divulging the secret with Tina’s blessing.

Runa Tea from the Amazon
This company not only sells tea, but artisan crafts from the Amazon as well. All products are fair trade and sustainably created. I had a chance to have a conversation with one of the co-founders, so if you want to know more about the company, watch the video, Tea with a Conscience.

Inhabitat
Inhabitat is a carefully curated online marketplace dedicated to future-forward sustainable design.The goal of Inhabitat is to support innovative up-and-coming designers as well as provide a space for shoppers to find the coolest green design for sale.

Arbor Day Foundation
For only $3 you can purchase a hardy evergreen tree. Trees can be planted outdoors in the right conditions, stored in a refrigerator, or grown for months indoors until the weather is right for planting outdoors.

Adoptions
Let’s talk about the 800-pound gorilla in the room —  or at least adopting one and leaving it where it is. You can adopt your own gorilla or a number of other species in the name of a person on your holiday gift list. The best part is someone else is the caretaker.

Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project: Adopt a Mountain Gorilla
Oceana: Adopt a sea creature
The Jane Goodall Institute: Become a Chimpanzee Guardian
The Dian Fossey International Fund: Adopt a Gorilla
Heifer International: Buy a Goat and help people obtain a sustainable source of food and income
World Wildlife Fund: Wide range of animals are available for adoption

This is only a sliver of new ways to celebrate the holidays without stuff. Yes, it is sad to lose that childhood burst of joy, but creating new Christmas feelings can be just as joyful.

Are you celebrating the holidays this year with less stuff? Share your plans and ideas.