Comments on: The greed that stole Christmas http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/ Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:50:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lyn http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-1131 Lyn Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:08:02 +0000 http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/#comment-1131 Adam - keep in mind that it shouldn't be a contest or it may cause even more stress than buying gifts. When revealing what you did for the charity I would recommend that it remain a simple "I donated some money" or "I volunteered at .... event" so you are not upstaging someone else who may not have as much to give. But, yes, some people may naturally give it all they can and that is good for the charities. And everyone involved may learn more about those organizations and what services they provide. Maybe this idea will catch on so a lot of families/friends will do the same and pass it on to someone else who starts their own exchange, etc. Who knows how we can change Christmas! Adam – keep in mind that it shouldn’t be a contest or it may cause even more stress than buying gifts. When revealing what you did for the charity I would recommend that it remain a simple “I donated some money” or “I volunteered at …. event” so you are not upstaging someone else who may not have as much to give. But, yes, some people may naturally give it all they can and that is good for the charities. And everyone involved may learn more about those organizations and what services they provide. Maybe this idea will catch on so a lot of families/friends will do the same and pass it on to someone else who starts their own exchange, etc. Who knows how we can change Christmas!

]]> By: adam http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-1124 adam Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:58:19 +0000 http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/#comment-1124 i LOVE the 'secret charity' idea, lyn! that's a great idea! perhaps i'll have to get something like that started with my family, or even close friends! and how great when some people like to "out-do" the others - it will reap even more benefit for charities!! great idea! :) i LOVE the ‘secret charity’ idea, lyn! that’s a great idea! perhaps i’ll have to get something like that started with my family, or even close friends! and how great when some people like to “out-do” the others – it will reap even more benefit for charities!! great idea! :)

]]> By: Lyn http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-1120 Lyn Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:02:02 +0000 http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/#comment-1120 Your father and I were just discussing how we could try to make a change with the whole family at Christmas. We would like to propose that in lieu of gifts exchanged between his siblings and mine that we should have a charity exchange. We could all write down the charity of our choice, mix them up, and draw. We could then have a "Secret Charity" to donate to or volunteer for throughout the year. Then at our Christmas gathering we could reveal who's charity we drew and what we did to help out. It could be as simple as a couple of donations during the year or participating in a fund-raising walk or volunteering to work in the charity office as often as one's time allows. This would allow us to honor the person whose charity we drew, to do something good for those in need, and to keep the spirit of Christmas. The bonus would be that there would be no rush at the end of the year to buy all those gifts that most people really can't afford. Another idea I would like to propose is a letter exchange between our family members and our closest friends. The written word is so much more powerful than any store-bought gift. Letters have been treasured and saved and passed down for generations. What a gift it would be to have each of our children write to us and for us to write to our children about what we each mean in each other's lives. The same holds true for our dearest friends. We often go through our lives without really ever telling the people we love the most just how much they mean to us. I can't think of a better gift. So here's to a wonderful new year and the taking back of Christmas! Your father and I were just discussing how we could try to make a change with the whole family at Christmas. We would like to propose that in lieu of gifts exchanged between his siblings and mine that we should have a charity exchange. We could all write down the charity of our choice, mix them up, and draw. We could then have a “Secret Charity” to donate to or volunteer for throughout the year. Then at our Christmas gathering we could reveal who’s charity we drew and what we did to help out. It could be as simple as a couple of donations during the year or participating in a fund-raising walk or volunteering to work in the charity office as often as one’s time allows. This would allow us to honor the person whose charity we drew, to do something good for those in need, and to keep the spirit of Christmas. The bonus would be that there would be no rush at the end of the year to buy all those gifts that most people really can’t afford.
Another idea I would like to propose is a letter exchange between our family members and our closest friends. The written word is so much more powerful than any store-bought gift. Letters have been treasured and saved and passed down for generations. What a gift it would be to have each of our children write to us and for us to write to our children about what we each mean in each other’s lives. The same holds true for our dearest friends. We often go through our lives without really ever telling the people we love the most just how much they mean to us. I can’t think of a better gift.
So here’s to a wonderful new year and the taking back of Christmas!

]]> By: Babychaos http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-1077 Babychaos Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:57:52 +0000 http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/#comment-1077 I hear you on the presents, it's interesting how many people it is stressing, or at least, how many people are beginning to admit to being stressed now! If it's any consolation, like TNH, Mr BC has his own ideas which can sometimes vary with mine. I think it's just one of those things where as a kid you get what you wish for and as an adult you spend your time delivering other people's wishes at the expense of your own... We always end up doing the road trip thing, like Courtney. We tried Christmas in our own home twice, once for each set of parents. It was like a bad farce! I sympathise with the cash thing, too, I was perennially skint when I lived in London and I remember how it felt to end up watching all my carefully saved holiday/car (whatever) money disappearing every Christmas because I felt obliged... I hope, in the end, it's a good one. Cheers BC I hear you on the presents, it’s interesting how many people it is stressing, or at least, how many people are beginning to admit to being stressed now! If it’s any consolation, like TNH, Mr BC has his own ideas which can sometimes vary with mine.

I think it’s just one of those things where as a kid you get what you wish for and as an adult you spend your time delivering other people’s wishes at the expense of your own…

We always end up doing the road trip thing, like Courtney. We tried Christmas in our own home twice, once for each set of parents. It was like a bad farce!

I sympathise with the cash thing, too, I was perennially skint when I lived in London and I remember how it felt to end up watching all my carefully saved holiday/car (whatever) money disappearing every Christmas because I felt obliged…

I hope, in the end, it’s a good one.

Cheers

BC

]]> By: Courtney http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-1075 Courtney Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:09:17 +0000 http://noblesavage.me.uk/2007/12/18/the-greed-that-stole-christmas/#comment-1075 I hear you. This year I don't feel so much extended financially - I tried to curtail that this year - but I feel overextended in terms of travel. Every year we end up on the road visiting people for well over a week, taking up vacation time and spending money, and no matter how many times I tell myself this year I will relax, enjoy, go with the flow, it never really works out that well and I end up tense, tired and feeling ill for the new year... I hear you. This year I don’t feel so much extended financially – I tried to curtail that this year – but I feel overextended in terms of travel. Every year we end up on the road visiting people for well over a week, taking up vacation time and spending money, and no matter how many times I tell myself this year I will relax, enjoy, go with the flow, it never really works out that well and I end up tense, tired and feeling ill for the new year…

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