I was thinking about this recently, and I’ve realized that I don’t actually like actual gifts any longer.
It’s not to say that I don’t appreciate them, or that I don’t love the thought people put into them.. it’s more that I am feeling more sensitive to the impact it has on my life, and the Earth.
So, it’s why I only like food (includes going out to eat), charitable donations in my name, services (like to a spa), gift cards to a grocery store I shop at, or pharmacy, or actual cash itself, which sounds really bitchy, but let me explain.
The first thing is: I am not into ‘stuff’ any longer.
I had so many homemade things given to me like iPod cosies, joke magnets, candles, cheap things for the kitchen that I don’t use but looked ‘cute’, Dollar store tools that ended up breaking after one use.
All of that stuff pretty much ended up in the donation bin, with other friends just as a random gift, or in the garbage.
It just clutters up my home and my life and then I feel guilty for wanting to get rid of it.
The second thing is: I don’t want people wasting their money.
Quite frankly I am only interested in what I truly want to keep in my home, so I REALLY don’t want people to spend their hard earned money on something that they weren’t sure I’d like. And if I can’t return it and give them their money back or direct the cash somewhere else, then I feel frustrated.
The third thing is: It just causes more unnecessary waste in general
If I don’t keep the item, it goes to a donation box, or to someone else.
But in the end, the economic and environmental impact is that they bought something NEW (I’m assuming, unless it was a re-gift), that means a factory had to add more pollution to the world to produce, which then caused an increase in our landfill because I ended up tossing it.
The last thing is: I tend to practice what I preach (at least, I try to)
I don’t give gifts for holidays or birthdays. I take people out to eat, or I treat them to a spa day with me so that we can connect together for the day instead of giving them a gift I am not sure they like that they may just toss in the garbage.
I also don’t buy trinkets when I visit countries, I take pictures instead, or I buy a really special bag, pair of shoes, or a dress so that it’s useful.
I hate souvenirs.
I don’t waste money on items that I am not sure they want or need unless they SPECIFICALLY tell me that they wanted a T-Fal Frying Pan (for example, even though the Teflon coating will do nasty ish to your female bodies), but because I want it to be a practical gift that they will use or enjoy rather than my frantically trying to figure out what they could possibly want and ending up getting them something they half wanted that wasn’t practical for their lives at all.
Like a $5 cheap fondue set that I got one Christmas. I’d rather she saved the $5 or bought chocolates with it instead so we could share them together. I ended up donating the fondue set.
It might sound like a cop out to others, but unless I can eat it (this is where chocolate or homemade food comes in), or use it up without causing waste or more pollution indirectly, and/or benefiting society or our economy… then I don’t want it, but I accept the thought.
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
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