Socially Conscious Christmas Shopping

[pippadaisy[$]]

I'm trying to do better with my holiday budget this year, but I'm also trying to do a little bit more than just grab a cart full at Target.

So, I thought I'd start a thread where any fellow hippies can share socially conscious gift ideas besides the usual plant-a-tree.

Here's the first one, where I just did all the teacher gifts (teacher gifts are HORRIBLY tough for me when you have four kids all working through the same preschool teachers!):

The Women's Bean Project

The Women's Bean Project attempts to break the cycle of poverty, by providing opportunities to women who otherwise would probably be trapped in the same situation. Many of the women have been in prison, addicts, etc. and it not only gives them a job for immediate money, but also provides vocational training, life skills training, etc.

[theworm[$]]

Thanks, Pippa! I never hear do the Bean Project and I love it!

I also like buying gifts from the Pink Ribbon, Hunger, Child Health, Literacy, Rain forest and Animal Rescue stores

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Macy's sells peace baskets woven by a Rwandan women's weaving collective. Expensive, though.

[phoenixx]

I'm using the new seed-filled, plantable wrapping paper and cards this year, just for fun.

[pippadaisy[$]]

The cool thing about that Macy*s project is that (for once) they aren't marking up the hell out of them.

You can buy Women's Bean Project items at places like Amazon and Overstock, but they are more expensive than buying them right from the source. I prefer to source directly with that stuff whenever I can so that the organization gets more of the money and the company selling it isn't just using the PC stuff for more profit. I think Macy*s may actually be doing something good here. Who'da thunk?

[frazzledspice]

Here's my idea:

If you are getting a media gift--book, CD, DVD--for someone, buy it used or at half.com and donate the difference between retail price and used price to a charity you know they would like to support.

Or pick up some clothing items for your kids at one of the trendier thrift stores (often owned by charitable organizations) and, once again, donate the difference between what you spent and retail to a children's charity.

That way you have something to put under the tree for them as well as sharing, with them, in the satisfaction of doing a good deed.

You could set up a family project asking family members to weed through their closets and toy boxes to donate things for needier families and to make room for their holiday gifts.

[magenta321]

Here are some supposedly "timeless toys" that you don't have to worry about being recalled (so they say) and were made in America.

WTNH.com Video

Of course, they reccommend K'nex. When I received K'nex as a child, I asked "why would you get me this? I didn't want this."

All the toys look boring to me. But safe.

[wivabef]

I like Ten Thousand Villages.

Fair Trade and Handmade Jewelry, Home Decor, Gifts and more from Ten Thousand Villages

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Ooo, I forgot about them! thanks for the reminder