Buy Nothing Christmas

15%How Scrooge Are You? Quiz courtesy of Worst Of Lists from Listocracy

Congratulations to everyone who's decided not to rush out to shop at 4 a.m. this morning.

The idea of overcrowded stores filled with frantic, sleep-deprived shoppers... that's strong incentive not to shop today.

If you have the day off, consider baking holiday gifts. Or, create other homemade gifts (soap, candles, etc.) that will be enjoyed and used up. Gifts like those say "I care" without later becoming clutter.

Here's a thought: Use a "make-a-mix" recipe (from a cookbook at the library?) and bake bunches of cookies, brownies, and/or breads. Wrap them well and freeze them, to give in December as holiday gifts.

You can download (free!) part one of the Buy Nothing Yule Workbook:

Buy Nothing Yule, part one [PDF format]
Buy Nothing Yule, part one [Word document]

It may sound silly, but right now is an ideal time to plan for Buy Nothing Christmas 2007.

Seriously.

Make a list of all the people you wanted to do something nice for, during this recent holiday season. (This is probably different from the people you actually gave gifts to, this past year.)

Now, divide that list by nine months. I mean, in a perfect world, wouldn't you love to have all of your holiday stuff completed before Samhain/Halloween? Wouldn't you like to be making your Christmas/Yule/whatever cards in early October (at the latest), and then relax to enjoy the holidays that extend through October, November and December?

So, if you plan to make gifts starting in January, and pace yourself according to the size of your perfect holiday list, you can enjoy a rich and wonderful winter holiday season in 2007.

Make your list and divide it into nine sections, more or less equal. Plan for a wonderful Buy Nothing Christmas 2007. Start in January, and it can happen!

Your assignment this week, if you choose to accept it (said in my best Peter Graves-ish voice):

1. Make a list of everyone you'd like to give gifts to, next Yule/Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever.

2. Decide whether you'd like to give them a handmade something, or a service-type something. (Service-type gifts could include a coupon book redeemable for your services as a babysitter, as a mural painter, as someone to help plant the garden or... well, whatever you want to do.)

3. Divide the handmade gifts (or recipients) into nine groups, so that you make a few items each month.

4. Start brainstorming what you'd like to make for them. Keep notes. Maybe even start a special notebook (or a section in your diary/journal) for these notes.

This is the press release from 2006's Buy Nothing Christmas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAVE LESS, LIVE MORE: BUY NOTHING CHRISTMAS

RECLAIMING THE SEASON: Those of us who shiver at the thought of hour-long line-ups and $5 gift tags finally have something to rejoice about over the holidays: fed-up citizens and social activists from across the world are inviting everyone to take part in Buy Nothing Christmas.

Inspired by the international successes of Buy Nothing Day, and disgusted with the personal debt, spiritual emptiness, and ecological damage that the holiday season now entails, writers and activists began to heavily promote the idea of a downshifted Christmas in the late nineties. Since then, the idea has been taken up by individuals, community groups, churches, and schools in at least a dozen countries, with strongest support in Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. ( More of the press release.Collapse )

I like the idea of "buy nothing Christmas". I think you guys are just what I need to stay motivated. I always have these wonderful ideas of making all my Christmas presents, and somehow it just never seems to happen. Although I usually do manage to get some presents made, I always buy way more stuff than I make. Maybe this year will be different! :)

I know it might seem a little anal-retentive to be worrying about Christmas when it's only January but I'm not the speediest crafter and I know if I wait til October to get started, nothing will be finished in time.

Soooo, what projects are y'all planning on for Holidays '05?

I'm hoping to have scarves knitting for all my family members. I'd like to make handmade ornaments, homemade dog biscuits, and decoupaged picture frames as well...

I am making all my ornaments this year. We have glass slides with cat pictures, ceramic glazed dog bones, cloth made cats and dogs, laminated pictures of animals we have owned. Recycled tiny dog and cat stuffed toys (smaller than beenie babies) My tree skirt is some dog faced fabrics that I had in my stash. I will post more when ALL the ornaments are done. Many are still in progress. Some people are trading me their own handmade cat or dog ornament for one of my cloth ones... any more takers? ( Read more...Collapse )

i decided this year to make a lot more of my christmas presents {including cards, at least for ultra special people}; something i always say i'm going to do, but never "get around to" ! i'm doing better this year though; this is what i spent today working on as a gift for my nan...

( see inside hereCollapse )

it's a memory book/tag book, with photos of all her grandchildren in it. i know she doesn't have one, and also these are photos she hasn't seen before either, since i took them on occasions she wasn't at. i think she'll like it... or at least the thought of it ;)

next up is a collaged travel box for one of my best friends.

For those of us who *do* buy some things for Christmas, here's a link to sweatshop-free apparel. All these products are US-made in union shops or co-ops.

http://swatch.igc.org/sweatfree/