Tis the season, and we all are buying gifts. The question is how to do so without saddling friends and families with returns, throwaway gift paper or mounds of fattening desserts.
Here are seven gift ideas that show you care for not only the person receiving the gift, but also for people and planet.
1. Make a donation
This is my favorite gift. I give to a charity that I think aligns with the gift recipient’s passions. Does she love dogs? A gift in her name to the humane society always results in a truly genuine positive response. What family is not touched by health issues like heart disease or cancer? A gift to the Heart Association or Cancer Society is a thoughtful and meaningful way of saying you care. Looking for a charity? I use Charity Navigator to find credible nonprofits. The site also has top 10 lists that cover a diverse range of charities.
Tis the season, and we all are buying gifts. The question is how to do so without saddling friends and families with returns, throwaway gift paper or mounds of fattening desserts.
Here are seven gift ideas that show you care for not only the person receiving the gift, but also for people and planet.
1. Make a donation
This is my favorite gift. I give to a charity that I think aligns with the gift recipient’s passions. Does she love dogs? A gift in her name to the humane society always results in a truly genuine positive response. What family is not touched by health issues like heart disease or cancer? A gift to the Heart Association or Cancer Society is a thoughtful and meaningful way of saying you care. Looking for a charity? I use Charity Navigator to find credible nonprofits. The site also has top 10 lists that cover a diverse range of charities.
2. Shop local
Make a local difference this holiday season. For every dollar you spend locally, you create about 45 cents of added wealth for your community in the form of jobs and taxes. Start with Yelp’s top 20 cities for local shopping. Or do a search for your local community, and I bet you will be surprised at the ideas that surface.
3. Give a digital gift
For us bald old guys, the standard 20th-century gift was a magazine subscription. Of course that creates 12 months of magazines in the trash. Try the 21st-century gift version by giving a digital subscription. Amazon’s top 100 digital magazines includes something for everyone.
Other ideas include giving a digital movie or digital music. If you have a millennial on your list, a digital gift will demonstrate you care — and that you may be cooler than they thought.
4. Healthy food gifts
Am I shooting myself in the foot here by recommending the giving of healthy food? Don’t get me wrong. I love holiday desserts. Sign me up for pumpkin pies topped with whipped cream and big platters of chocolate chip cookies! I don’t want to be a Grinch, but we are in a national weight crisis. So, what about giving good food instead?
Continue reading at ENN affiliate, Triple Pundit.
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