Holiday Gift Giving, Shop Sustainable.ca written by Chris Chopik of Evolution Green Share

Today at 16:50
The demonstration of generosity through holiday gift giving is cornerstone of cultural values. However, I have observed that the experience of holiday gift giving and receiving has sometimes become tainted with overtones that are common throughout our modern civilization. Often generosity is overshadowed by wastefulness, the self importance of the giver and sometimes, unrealistic expectations from the receiver.

The cultural underpinnings of gift giving are not all generous either. The uncle who has the budget to display over the moon generosity will often get the crown of “Kewlest”, or “Awesomest”. The questions that I am concerned with are, does the gift deserve to exist at all, and does it have some irreplaceable relevance to the recipient. At the other end of the monetary spectrum there are the plethora of insignificant trinkets, made and delivered to market at the expense of the environment, only to be delivered by truck to a landfill in Michigan some moments after the toy falls out of favour.

Is it really the thought that counts?
I find that material things, particularly trivial ones find their way into my life, adding unnecessary and unwanted clutter. I also find that I am more and more frequently inclined to feel a sense of guilt when disposing of items – even ones that have no material purpose. I think of the myriad of trinkets that occupy the top drawer of my dresser; there is a bottle opener shaped like a fish that was given to me by a fishing-enthusiastic uncle, the Swiss army knife from my trip to Europe when I was 20 and the hideous cufflinks that I inherited from some unforgotten source.

Each year when I return to my mother’s home for Christmas I know that there is a good chance that the stocking is full of oranges, liquor miniatures and fair trade-organic 70% dark chocolate. True, we have evolved from cheesy plastic dollar store items which had some subtle humour or momentary amusement, and there are even occasionally such items as a book about buying Green Christmas Gifts. I have seen stockings where each trinket is wrapped in plastic coated foil paper. When everyone is finished the unwrapping there is a garbage bag filled with unrecyclable paper, tape and ribbon. All of this and we haven’t even touched on the footprint of the gifts themselves.

The gifts that I appreciate the most are those that reflect the gift giver’s knowledge of my post modern values, my true belief that less is more and my love of life’s pleasures. In this case the “thought does count”. My most cherished gifts are ones that do not reflect the giver’s desire to influence my personal taste, or obligation to fill the requisite dollar value. They are gifts that are truly tailored to my sensibilities and generously given.

The Potlatch ceremony of some Western North American Native cultures is an example of what I consider to be sensible celebration and gift giving. The Potlatch is an examination of status within the tribe and an exchange and distribution of wealth through the act of gift giving. The celebration allows the redistribution and equalization of wealth within the community. A feast and festival of song and dance while exchanging gifts that are appropriately given respective socio-economic place in the community. In this way Chiefs and leaders would give lavish gifts such as canoes and skins to community members who needed them most, and in turn those without means would offer lesser, though equally desirable, gifts of food or craft wares. The Potlatch has defined overtones of prestige, extravagance and social hierarchy, AND at the root there is an expectation of the redistribution of wealth within the tribe, that I find grounded and environmentally sensible.

When buying gifts for others I do my very best to adhere to a few simple rules.
1) is it “perfect for the recipient, will it become a cherished treasure, and will it be used to the end of its life”
2) is it hand made
3) is it locally made
4) is it made from renewable sources, and in an environmentally sensitive way
5) is it consumable (and if so will it deliver an outstanding and memorable experience)
6) does it deliver an experience to the recipient of the gift that is comparable to the environmental and cultural cost of production.

Safe Children’s Gifts:

I could tirade about children’s toys but here’s what it comes down to. Toys for children are not only about entertainment, but also learning. The reason we give our children toys is so they can explore the world. When I was a kid I remember my favourite toys, from the easy bake oven to my Spiderman “110 film” camera. As a parent I ask my friends and family to adhere to the following rules when buying toys for my child: nothing new that is made of plastic (used is fine), nothing that acts like a slot machine (action produces ringing bells and flashing lights), please avoid battery powered items, and if it came from China please leave it on the shelf.

I know how bah humbug I must sound to many of you, and many others will say you are not being “Green” enough. Gift giving is an important way to show your appreciation for people in your life and to rebalance inequities. Isn’t it wonderful when the gift given is loved by the recipient (for more than a nanosecond), and best of all, when the object becomes a cherished reason to remember the giver and circumstance for years to come.

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