1. I don’t feed into the commercialization/materialistic nature of the holiday- I shake my head at how stressed out and depressed people get over not having the right gift or not being able to get it in time. It is totally contradictory to the meaning, joy, and happiness that gift giving can be.
2. It goes against my values-When I give someone a gift it is because one, I know it is something that they would really like/enjoy, or two, I know it’s something that they need. It all comes back to feeling happy that I was able to brighten someone’s day and not feeling forced into buying something just because.
3. I like to celebrate joy year round-I give gifts whenever I see something I know someone will like-whether it be in the middle of June or months after their birthday. I really like to put thought into something that I will give someone, I like to think that they will value/cherish or find meaning in the gift and that it won’t be another rock to add to a pile of ‘things’.

So what do I do during the Holidays? I do the old fashioned thing and mail holiday cards, I write a ‘thank you’ or what not and mail it out, it’s something that I find genuine because it takes time to find addresses, buy stamps, write, and then mail out. It’s an- ‘I thought of you’ this season- greeting, and in a time of technology, it’s a pleasant surprise among the typical junk mail or what not. I like to do things heart-based and not just ‘because,’ things lose meaning when we do them out of obligation rather than because it makes our hearts full of joy. Blessings and season’s greetings, lovely readers!