Ethical Christmas presents

[Konstantin]

Anyone else trying to avoid buying for people just for the sake of getting them something at Christmas? I thought it would be a good idea to list some ethical and different present ideas. I'll start.

This place (http://www.wildfutures.org/) looks after monkeys rescued from the UK pet trade. You can adopt one of them.
I recently saw some shoes from Beyond Leather and was impressed so spent more than I would on getting a pair. Otherwise would have asked Santa for some.
I'm going to get Mrs K a LendWithCare.org account. You can lend directly to people in Asia and Africa to help them get projects started, and the re-lend the money once they repay it. You can choose which accounts.
Lush will supply a few people.

[loveliberate]

I find it most ethical to not participate in / "celebrate" Christmas at all. That aside, I agree with your focus on trying to find more positive and less materialistic gifts. On a similar note, I think its good to ask folks who wish to give you (or most anyone really) to do the same. Your ideas all sound good to me. The micro-loans and/or making a donation to a good group/"cause" in someones name seems particularly nice to me - then letting them know of course. As is giving the gift of your company - you can give out "gift certificates" redeemable for you making the person dinner, joining or taking taking them out for activity they enjoy. Oh! As a gift to receive - I really like the idea of asking folks to commit to going vegan for whatever seems realistic for them: one meal a day/week for a year, etc.

And if you really want to get in the best of the "Christmas" spirit - do like that Yay-Zeus person is rumored to have done: go to the sick, poor, old, prisoners & other "undesirables" and help them out. Careful though, that may make you feel inspired to do what usually gets folks like him killed - questioning & challenging the powers that be.

[Prime]

My 15 yr old step daughter decided she doesn't want anyone to give her xmas gifts, instead she wants them to donate the money to Animals Australia. So awesome.

[xrodolfox]

I love giving presents and getting them.

I always try to be "ethical", and IMO, that may be slightly different than "environmental".

That said, we tend to actually be more environmentally friendly when we are on a budget. This year, for example, my wife's been making lots of pottery. A lot of her pieces are going to family members instead of buying anything. I also make people CD's or burn DVD's of movies and music I have. It's crafting, but on out budget and skill level. The kids make them cards.

We tend to buy each other very little, and try to get thoughtful things that are helpful. This year I got my wife a noise-cancelling machine so that she can sleep in when the kids and I are too loud in the mornings.

The kids get the most, of course, and we make sure that they stick to buying less plastic toys and toys that are ideally fair trade. That doesn't always occur, but we're satisfied with the results so far. It was easy at first, then it got harder, now it's "ok".

That seems pretty ethical and environmental.

We tend to donate to causes throughout the year, especially AR and Labor Rights stuff. We are pretty broke, so we are happy to get the $$$ ourselves first to buy things like socks and underwear and soap that we need through out the year.

[blinki]

I don't have that problem so much with family. I'll make them something or use freecycle or charity shops. I only get something for my immediate family. The extended family all just do things like give each house a tin of chocolates which I don't find ideal but better than giving everyone lynx sets or whatever else they don't really want.

I don't do Christmas presents with friends because we are mostly a bit skint and don't want stuff for the sake of it.

It's doing my head in a bit for secret santa at work. I hate the idea of it because there's so much unwanted crap but as the new person I felt I couldn't say no. I don't know the person well enough to even be capable of getting her something she'd actually want. I don't want to be generic and get wine. I looked on Oxfam for charity gifts but they only £5 one is for supporting a farm with a lot of mention of keeping animals which makes me uncomfortable. I don't want to get anything too obviously vegan-y. I might cheat and spend £6 on a medical check up Oxfam thing or try to think of other more generic charities which do the same. I'm not sure if that's a crap secret santa but she'll not know it's me anyway

[xrodolfox]

oooo! oooo!

Give out a gift card for a massage!