Starve the Beast: Christmas Gift Idea Thread

[noamnety]

I thought it would be nice to start a thread with no guilt holiday gifts ideas that are blue companies, or environmentally friendly, or handcrafted by people making living wages.

1. Make your own meal mixes for someone (rice, lentils, fresh ground curry spices, and directions)

These next two are from people I know from another forum (for artists):

2. These cool coffee sack bags (made by a furniture maker, he said he can produce about 8 more between now and Christmas):
front:

back:

http://tretiak.net/coffee/index.html (If you track back to his main site you'll see some of his furniture, beautiful!)

3. Another neat recycled thing - used book purses:

http://www.rebound-designs.com

4. Make your own book of family photos for relatives, get it published at cafepress: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/books.aspx

[ClassWarrior]

1. Some kids we know are getting the gift of fun classes at a local academy.

Does nothing for retail sales. I burned a few music and interview CDs for friends.

NGU.

[lizzieforkerry]

2. Those purses are too cute! Is she a Dem?

Do you know how much they cost?

[noamnety]

4. The price for the purses varies

She talks about prices ranging from $40 to over $100, depending on the purse, and whether it has a beaded or ribon handle. http://www.yayhooray.com/thread/1957/Book-Purses-Revisited


She's a dem or independent or something. I'm quite sure she isn't a republican, based on her posts, although she isn't too heavily into the political discussions. She did start a thread quoting the Onion, bashing Bush, I will offer that up as evidence: http://www.yayhooray.com/thread/11654/Prophetic-Onion

[politicat]

3. As always, coupon books for services are great.

10 backrubs, 1 major house cleaning, 1 day's worth of errands, etc...

You just have to be willing to schedule them and do what you say you will.

Pcat

[bhikkhu]

5. Make something yourself

I have always been generally artistic, so this may be unfair, but nearly everybody knows how to make something. One of the bad things about current times is that we are surrounded by things made in vast quantities by machines. Receiving such a thing for a gift, however nice it appears, is a big notch down from something that is actually made by a person. If a thing has a human touch, some of the skill and effort and attention of the maker in it, how much better for the self-esteem of the recipient!

People go through life thinking that they are not worth anyone's effort, and that nothing they could make is worth giving. And the same people are go through life surrounded by junk made by soulless machines. Make a change - make something for Christmas.

[spinbaby]

12. Don't do arts and crafts unless you know the recipient

I'm tired of getting those Kountry Kutsie assembly projects and don't know what to do with them.

I like to give things that will be consumed so the recipient isn't stuck with a white elephant. Cookies are always good. Also, cases of really good fruit.

[EC]

6. I got my knitting needles and crochet hooks

out again, climbed the stairs to my attic where I have boxes of yarn, and made everyone afgans, hats and scarfs. We'll need them this winter to keep heating bills down.

[GumboYaYa]

28. Us too. We knit our whole Christmas practically.

We also made jellies and jams from fruit out of our garden. I'm making some homemade Chai as well.

[EC]

35. Yes, I also

made some green tomato jellies and bottled them up real pretty and some roasted hot peppers, crushed and bottled.

You know when I was younger (and dumb) I used to give homemade gifts and feel badly that I couldn't do better. Now years later my friends and family have told me how they remember hoping they would get one of "Elaine's handmade" afghans or cotton crocheted shirts. It really makes me feel good. One guy who got one of my paintings told me that that was the only thing he wanted when he got divorced, so I guess these homemade gifts really are important and giving a part of ourselves.

[Qanisqineq]

7. kick

I would like to hear people's ideas, too! I like to buy handcrafted items or items where a portion of the proceeds goes to a good cause (conservation and animal welfare being my favorites). I like to buy natural products as often as possible and I also like to support small businesses in my home state of ND.

My suggestion is: http://www.nativeprairie.com/
They have natural lotions, bath and shower gel, candles, and soap. Natural gifts that are useful.

[hellbound-liberal]

8. Here's a couple of worthwhile ideas..

My wife and I have decided to donate to worthwhile charities in each others name. We gave each other a list to choose from and then we picked three or four to send money to. Another great idea is to go to the website for Heifer International and donate an animal
(or seedlings for our vegan friends)to a family in need. Here's the link to browse the catalog: www.heifer.org

[Quill Pen]

33. I went to the Heifer Project website, too.

It was funny. I purchased a goat in honor of some good friends, and on the inside of their Xmas card, I said, "Finally, I got your goat." OK, maybe I'm the only one LOL.

http://www.thehungersite.com (also www.gearthatgives.com) has a Fair Trade gift shop with lots of cute things from all over the world, including specialty coffee beans. For every purchase, The Hunger Site donates a specified number of cups of food. Uncommon Goods also sells stuff "created without harm to the environment, animals or people."

If you're looking to get a cell phone or service for someone, try Working Assets.

Local art/craft fairs are a great place to find beautiful handmade gifts.

[kayell]

9. There are a bunch more ideas

in this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=255x5 over in the Economic Activism and Progressive Living Group

[vetwife]

10. If you go to my site at United Veterans of America on Help a Vet

all orceeds go to help needy vet families.
Here is the addy.
http://cafeshops.com/helpavet/

[noamnety]

16. I missed that thread

Thanks for pointing it out! (even though I feel a little stupid now)

[Trailrider1951]

11. Here's what I'm suggesting:

For my two adult children and their spouses, two gifts:
1. Cash. Always welcome.
2. Organic foods, such as: http://www.mercola.com/forms/cheese.htm

No Walmart for me!

[noamnety]

17. the organic cheese is great

My sister sent me some one year, and it was a thousand times better than normal cheeses!

[stranger_with_candy]

13. 10,000 villages stores

not sure if they are nationwide but there are quite a few in the east and midwest. all hand crafted and pay fair wages to artists overseas. many artifacts from all over the world. some stores have local items created by local women's shelters, etc.

[offcenter]

14. Gold

bullion in coin form. 1 ounce, 1/2 ounce, 14/ ounce or even 1/10 ounce.
We're gonna need it.

Also, a small personal gift on the side. :)

[tewl]

15. I like to give bake goods

I bake a whole bunch of cookies and fudge and make grab bags containing an assortment of baked goods. I buy my cooking supplies at the local co-op so all of the money I spend on it goes to a good cause :)

[offcenter]

18. Or get baked

How about giving crafts or gold & everybody sits around getting baked afterward?

[VAMom]

19. Homemade gifts are nice but . . .

I prefer to give "consumable gifts" such as homemade bread, fudge, chili mix. Then I don't have to worry about someone dusting, caring for or breaking yet another "thing." Our family has done this for years--guess we were ahead of the curve a touch!

[newyawker99]

30. Hi VAMom!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Flammable Materials]

20. I'm burning my Christmas gifts this year:

[kayell]

29. That's a great idea

One of my brothers scanned a centurys worth of old family photos onto CDs last year for everyone. Undoubtedly the best gift I've ever been given.

[phatkatt]

21. I'm giving stuff from my garden.

Pickled jalapenos and okra, dried hot peppers, and home-made hot sause!

Organically grown, of course.

[gypsy11]

22. I make things

I am lucky in that I am crafty. I learned how to do stained glass years ago. Before I learned how to do the glass, I made cookies and put them in nice tins as gifts.
I hate how commercial Christmas has become so about 6 or 7 years ago I started making gifts as my little form of protest. Most people really like what I make and I really enjoy doing it. I don't miss the crowds at the stores either. :)
This year everyone gets stained glass butterflies!

[nostamj]

23. don't forget DU marketers!

check out the MARKETPLACE group in the Non-Political forums.

(and if you haven't, post YOUR business so DUers will know you're out there.)

[China_cat]

24. http:// www.ShopUnionMade.org

[CBHagman]

25. Try recycled Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate)

The following works well if the participants approach it in the right spirit. If you just clean out your attic or similar, don't even try.

In an office or family, participants draw names out of a hat and have to come up with a gift for that person. It cannot be purchased; the only allowed items are something you make yourself or something you already have.

We did this at my office two years in a row, and it worked out rather well. People got nice gifts -- CDs, books, baked goods, and the like. We celebrated with party snacks and sweets and gift exchange.

[EC]

36. In my group of friends

Back in the 70's so many of us were laid off from our jobs or just plain downsized, we did this, only we gave things we already owned that really meant something to us, called it our gift of the magi Christmas'

[AgadorSparticus]

26. i'm giving out tins of nuts, dried fruits, and candy. can't go wrong with

food. i'm also making scrapbooks for my parents. organizing some of their mountains of old pictures. i know they will LOVE the scrapbooks.

[Lorien]

27. There's a whole forum dedicated to such ideas

and more: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php

I hate the idea of turning an old book into a purse (as a collector of antique books, it seems downright criminal. Plus it seems symbolic of our culture; we no longer care for reading or value knowledge; shopping and money are the only American obsessions), but the others are good.

[gasolineboycottday]

31. neat!

neat!

[Swamp Rat]

32. If I had money, I would buy gifts on the street in the French Quarter

and the French Market.

[nostamj]

34. I do CUSTOM designs as well....

these were done for three of my nieces/nephews. each design was matched to their age/personality.

can do a unique design for you too! still available for holiday gifts if you don't delay...

[cheezus]

37. making home-movie dvds for everyone

I've got a camcorder, software and a burner on the way - going to convert the families' old home video on DVD for them.

[breadandwine]

38. We must march against Fox and the rigged election.

Not talk. Action. STREET action. Action in the STREETS. Huge public protest. A joint protest against the rigged election and Fox right in front of Fox World Headquarters in New York with the chant, “Rupert Murdoch, tell the truth! Fascists rigged the voting booth!” Fox is headquartered in mid-Manhattan on the SECOND floor. We’re going to be right outside their windows by the thousands screaming our guts out where they can hear us. Bad vibrations? Too bad studio soundproofing isn’t perfect. We must deny them legitimacy at all costs. Bush didn’t win. His election is a fake. Vast numbers of Americans still don’t know this because Bush shills like Fox cover it up. Fox must be targeted. Their headquarters are in New York. The other papers and media in New York will cover this protest because they all hate Fox’s living guts in New York. See this blog:

A Call To March On Fox
For refusing to tell the truth about the rigged election! —

http://acalltomarchonfox.blogspot.com/

Read it. Read it all. Contact the blogger there to get involved.

Go to this thread and participate in the discussion — A call to march against the rigged election — includes extensive discussion about the planned march on Fox/rigged election:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2688242

Add your comments there, keep that thread kicked. There’s going to be a huge march in New York combining protest against the rigged election and the Bush shills like Fox who cover it up, a double whammy. After that, the cat will be out of the bag and Bush will have lost legitimacy.

Why is that important? Because legitimacy is essential for de facto power. Official or “de jure” power is not enough for a leader to maintain control. He has to also have the INTANGIBLES of legitimacy — de facto authority. That’s why presidents can become lame ducks in their second term. Bush must be denied LEGITIMACY. His whole presidency must be publicly DELEGITIMIZED. People in other countries will hear about the march too. This will add to his difficulties diplomatically overseas. To deny legitimacy we must march against the rigged election.

Where? At the number one shill covering it up — Fox. Fox Headquarters in New York. Fox may or may not admit we are in front of their New York offices but the other New York news organizations will because they hate Fox. See the above blog for full details on that and the whole march plan. See and post on the above thread to get involved. Keep that thread kicked.

[EC]

39. I almost forgot

Everybody seems to like my homemade wines and beers. Being Italian it's something that we always make every year.

[realFedUp]

40. Shop with a conscience websites:

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

and buy nothing sites:

http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/