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Voices of the Northwest
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| Helping others is a great way to celebrate. Graduation at the KOTO not-for-profit restaurant/school in Hanoi, Vietnam |
Giving is a good thing when:
it helps the poor, the sick, the lonely, the cold, the homeless, be they humans or animals,
it helps family solidarity,
it benefits good works by individuals, small businesses, or organizations,
it is thoughtful of the earth and its resources.
Contrariwise, giving may become onerous when
it feels like an expectation and is done without any feeling of cheer,
it gives too much to those who have too much,
it exploits the earth and its resources, or is derived from inhumane practices like child slavery and sweat shops,
it contributes to the plastic waste that overflows our landfills and now forms vast acreages on the ocean floor.
It is often said that "Holidays are for children." But often children are overwhelmed at an early age with too many gifts, while they soon come to know that others lack for even the most basic necessities. What are they to make of the inequity? They may decide, for lack of a better explanation, that they are more worthy, more deserving. I feel that families need to teach children at a tender age about charity, respect for the earth, in a word "good giving."
In making purchases, here are the key words to look for: fair trade/equal exchange, organic, local, sustainable, recycled/recyclable, consumable, hand made or hand cooked, with profits going to a good cause, and not made of plastic (petroleum) or toxic materials like lead. There will be festivals all over town, and you will see those words. They are important. People have worked for decades to bring these things to our attention. Good sources of information are the ReDirect Guide, The Chinook Book, and newspapers. You can find the two books in natural food stores or on-line.
The Christmas Tree, Hanukkah Bush or Winter Festival tree. Unfortunately tree farms, unless specified organic, use toxic chemicals, harmful to animal and human life as well as our precious waters. My family goes to a wonderful place each year for their tree. It is bountiful, diverse, wonderfully aromatic, organic--all those good things. They will cut a tree of your choice for you while you marvel at the beauty of nature, see the baby trees regenerating on their own, sense that this place is full of wild animals, hiding and watching. . . A plastic tree? Oh no, not for me. I think it would make the angels weep. You can also decorate with boughs of pine or holly that grow freely in this area.
The Wrapping. Avoid buying those festive Christmas papers. Paper comes from logging the forest, dyes contaminate our waters, fish, and wildlife. A nice alternative is a re-usable tote bag or pretty cloth, or a colorful sheet of used newspaper like the comics, decorated with pine, holly, or cones. Or ribbons and holiday papers from previous "unwrappings" can be re-used.
The Gift of Time. If you know someone who is lonely, your time could be the best gift of all. An event, a lunch, a cup of tea, a walk. . .
I hope these thoughts will not offend or spoil anyone's holiday. We have only this one beautiful planet.
Happy Holidays to All!
Barbara Kelley
Copyright ©2007 by Barbara Kelley
Visit Barbara Kelley's ". The BLM's Spray Plan from Hell at WxNW.org:
© Copyright 2000-2006 by West By Northwest.org
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