the femiwriter

Who has finished their Christmas shopping for this year? Hats off to you if you have. As usual, I’m destined to spend Christmas Eve day at the mall, buying the last XL taupe sweater from The Bay that for I’ve convinced myself my pint-sized mom can wear with a belt as some sort of dress. This year however, I’m aiming to do things different.

I’ve been hearing more people this year talking about a zero-waste Christmas. Maybe it’s the spirit of Occupy Wall Street mixing with holiday cheer, maybe it’s my friends emerging from their undergrad in a heap of student debt, or maybe it’s the green trends and all the great options offered by local businesses to go for a more ethical, sustainable gift. This year, my family has decide to theme our annual Christmas exchange “give less, get more” in an attempt to be more critical consumers.

You’ve probably seen the “Make Memories, Not Garbage” ads at bus stops all over Vancouver this year that suggest you give a gift that creates a lasting impression rather than picking up an item that will collect dust. Instead of purchasing the typical scarf + sweater combo at the Gap for your aunt, what about getting her a pass to the yoga studio in her neighbourhood? What about taking her out for dinner plus a concert/movie/play? Guaranteed, the quality time will win out over less-than-quality purchases every time.

Websites like ethicalDeal, Groupon, Living Social, etc. use the power of group buying to bring you cheap deals on activities, products and meals. Some of them focus particularly on deals from companies that have ethical and environmental sound policies and products. The best part is, it makes it easy to find something for a family or friend living across the country from you. With these sites and a bit of help from Google maps, you can find an accessible, affordable and ethical gift for those you won’t be being seeing on Christmas Day. Triple threat. Last year I got a parrafin wax wrap and manicure+pedicure at a salon where I got to pick my own movie to watch during the treatment. Watching Zac Efron while getting my toes tickled was definitely a holiday highlight [those who know me understand I mean this with zero ounces of sarcasm. Caution: this may not be the gift for everyone].

Another idea is to put your dollars towards a bad ass cause. What are the issues important to the person you care about? Do some research into where your donation is going and try to find charities and non-profits that really use your funds. I’m a huge fan of Check Your Head, a non-profit in Vancouver that works to education, activate and empower youth to think critically about various social justice topics such as gender representation, health care, food justice and globalization. Totally awesome facilitators, such as Kyla (their Education Program Coordinator and one of my closest friends) go into elementary and high schools throughout B.C. to host workshops where they create a space for young people to  discuss and connect with these important issues. This year, they are offering the gift of education through holiday gift cards available on a sliding scale. The donations go towards funding the costs of hosting these valuable workshops. Because they are a small organization, you know your money isn’t disappearing into a void of business costs but going directly to the cause. Check their new website at checkyourhead.org for a sweet graphic that informs you exactly what your donation will purchase. These people work hard and the importance of what they do cannot be understated. Buy a card and spread the word this holiday. I picked up one for my family gift exchange (hope my aunt doesn’t read this before Christmas morning)!

If you still have the itch to go out and buy (mais pourquoi? stay inside, my car door was frozen shut this morning), there are many options to support local entrepeneurs and artisans in your own community. Talk to friends, look outside of the big-box stores, check out Christmas craft fairs. The prices may reflect the extra effort but if you can afford it, it will be worth knowing that your dollars went to support sometimes hard work and practice.

If the extra money is an issue, there are still options: make your own present. I can hear the groans already but I promise, there are easy and cheap options that look like you put in a lot more effort than you actually did. My friend is making these walnut candles that she saw for 15X the price at a boutique in Vancouver. These paper necklaces are made entirely from recycled material if you’re got more nimble fingers than me. Troll craftgawker.com to find way more ideas. Last year, by far the best gift I gave was a handmade recipe book for my cousin that included directions for all our family’s [read: my mom’s] coveted cooking. I added photos from family trips and included a CD of our camp fire songs. It took some time but the result was a useful and meaningful gift that she’ll hopefully enjoy for some time. I’ve got another exciting homemade gift for one of my friends this year that I can’t wait to make…see photos post Christmas (she’s one of the five people that actually reads this blog).

So all you last minute gift-getters, your excuses for picking out bonus body wash sets are no longer valid. Happy holiday weekend all. I’m going to eat more candy now.