Green - Saving It, Giving It

I don't know if you're feeling like I am, but the economic meltdown and the continuing financial drama from banks to insurance companies to automakers has worn me out. It's tiring and stressful to hear about these big problems day in and day out, especially when the vast majority of us cannot control or change any of those macroeconomic issues. Most of us go about our day-to-day business while gauging the impact of these problems on our friends, families and communities. It's tiring and a bit disheartening, but from my perspective, there is some very good news out there. I've heard a lot of people talk about having a more sensible Christmas or holiday spending budget. The unbridled consumerism of the past decade or so is giving way to a bit of quiet reflection.

It seems a lot of people are scaling back, realizing that they don't need more stuff. That's not to say that no one's giving gifts this year, just that they don't need to go over the top. More importantly, I think this year people will think more about the gifts they give, and though they will give fewer gifts, they will be gifts that are useful to the recipient in some way.

So, my gifts this year will be focused on things that can be used - not stored in the closet for re-gifting or a visit to the Goodwill or Salvation Army during the next housecleaning. Gifts that don't add further clutter to our environment, things that green up our bodies, lives and wallets - those are the gifts that make sense this holiday season. Small specialty food gifts baskets, foods that people might not otherwise try, things that can expand the recipient's culinary horizons without breaking the budget.

This holiday season, my friends and family will be getting green gifts from me. Giving green gifts benefits my world - my friends, family, community and environment. If I can also save a bit of "green" this year, all the better.

Here's a link to shopOrganic's Green Gifts for the Holidays. Let the budget-conscious) shopping begin!