The Festive Season
My wish this holiday season is for us to consciously choose a slow and intentional season. Instead of letting November and December be about consumption—of things, of experiences, and inevitably of little pieces of our souls—we could choose a gentler way: a true cozy season.
Why run around looking for the perfect gifts for every person in your family that they don’t really want and that will ultimately end up in the landfill? Why not try drawing a family member's name for a non-profit donation gift exchange instead? For example, if I draw my brother's name (who is an outdoorsman), I could gift him a donation in his name to the local land conservancy. Below are a few of my favorite organizations right now. Let’s make the holidays kind again!
Holiday Gifting Ideas to help us slow the hell down
The Loveland Foundation: is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Their resources and initiatives, such as therapy, are collaborative and prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing.
Five For Families — We Have Stories: For the fifth year in a row, they are dedicated to supporting over 200 families from marginalized, economically disadvantaged backgrounds as we enter the fall holiday season. This year, they’re aiming to raise $20,000 to provide these families with nourishing holiday meals and other essentials to help make their season a little brighter. Each meal package includes fresh produce, pantry staples, and holiday favorites.
Affirmations - LGBTQ+ Community Center: has been the hub for southeast Michigan LGBTQ+ communities and its allies for the last 35 years. They provide a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, and cultures can learn, grow, socialize and access the vital support they need.
State Climb: is a climbing gym that promotes the health and wellness of the community (northern Virginia) through physical activity and community engagement. Every dollar that you spend at State Climb goes straight into maintaining an inspiring and safe space for community members to share, into Pay What You Like programing that breaks down economic barriers to access, into paying living wages, into having great coaches and staff, and into impactful community development projects.
Lotto Love: is the first and only ever scratch off ticket with a social mission. Make giving back part of everyday gifting with scratch off tickets that give charitable gifts.
Another fun way to gift with less environmental strain is to forego fast gifting and opt for stockings filled with affordable treasures from local small businesses instead. Everyone could use a pair of cozy hand-knit socks from the local gift shop, a lavender chapstick from the farm, or a festive, hearty ale from the neighborhood brewery.
Slow, Cozy activities
This is a festive time, and as such, there can be a lot of social commitments—between work parties, school parties, wreath-making with friends, and the neighborhood cookie exchange. It’s perfectly acceptable to say no. But also, imagine how much more time we’ll have for gathering if we drop the routine of buying gifts for everyone and their brother.
Here are a few fun at-home activities for family and friends, or for the delightful company of yourself:
HOLIDAY PUZZLE NIGHT IN YOUR PAJAMAS: Thrift a puzzle from your local thrift shop or fb Marketplace, melt your favorite drinking chocolate into a bit of full-fat milk, hop into your favorite cozy clothes, light some candles, put on some holiday jazz, and let the puzzling begin. I recommend a 250-500 piece puzzle if you’d like to complete it by the end of the night. *Here’s a bit of puzzle etiquette to share with your family (though they’re sure to do the opposite if you start telling them rules about puzzling): Start by turning the pieces over as a team, then move on to establishing the edges together, and lastly, get started on the fun, middle part.
INTERNATIONAL COOKIE NIGHT: Establish a yearly tradition of baking a different traditional holiday cookie from around the world. Here are a few ideas:
Old Fashioned Norwegian Pepperkaker
FRIENDS' SOUP PARTY (Instead of a gift exchange): Invite some people over and ask them to bring their favorite soup to share, along with a mason jar containing the same soup for a white elephant gift exchange. Then, enjoy a taste-testing meal and partake in the soup exchange white elephant with the gifting jar afterward.
That’s all I have for you for this festive season. I hope you lean in to the hibernation season with some intentional community-minded living.