We all know that Christmas is a time for giving and usually receiving gifts, but how would you feel if someone bought an alternative gift, in your name (instead of giving to you personally) to support a family or community in the developing world, or to protect nature or the environment. Would you feel cheated or would you be happy to forgo your gift? Be honest. A couple of years ago my husband did this... he bought an animal for a village in Africa through a bona-fide scheme, instead of giving to a few family members and they [family members] seemed distinctly unimpressed - even though the animal would probably help the villagers survive for over a year. What are your thoughts? What sort of alternative giving might you do?
Call me shallow--and we all know BMC77 has all the depth of a dried out mud puddle. But I don't think I'd be thrilled with such a gift. That is not to say I want an expensive gift. Creativity and thought are both good. I'm not impressed by gifts that merely show that someone has a hefty limit on his or her Visa card. I received such a gift from one of my grandmothers once. "A gift has been made in your name to". I can't remember who got the gift. It was not a pleasant gift to get; however, part of that was just the realization that one reason why it was probably given was because Grandma was pissed off at me. I can't see myself giving such a gift, either. I also see some value in those programs for buying animals for impoverished places, however. I know ELCA (Lutheran church) does such a program. However, I'd rather do something like that as a charitable act for "higher good", not as Christmas gift for someone.
I hope for things I need and can't afford, because I'm skint and can't afford much. So right now I wouldn't appreciate such a gift.
People can donate to the SemiCharmedLife's House Foundation. All proceeds help pay the mortgage on SemiCharmedLife's house because he's kind of broke. For me, if I don't want to get someone a thing, I'd rather give them a gift of my time by doing an activity with them or taking them to lunch or something. Probably the only exception would be if it's an organization the person is actively involved with.
I don't usually give alternative gifts, just cause I forget that that's a thing you can do. But I did receive a gift from my grandmother a few years ago like that, she bought a...chicken...I think for a family under my name. After some persuasion from my mom, on how cool it actually was, I thought it was pretty cool.
I've received these sorts of gifts on numerous occasions in the past and I think it's cool--most people don't really need more stuff. The most recent example: one of my clients gave a donation in my Father's name on the occasion of his death to a hospital in Israel that does really groundbreaking work in ovarian cancer (which killed my Mother) and heart disease (which killed my Father). I thought it was an amazingly thoughtful gift.
While I'm in Japan this isn't something I'm participating in but last year my family decided that this is how we do Christmas now. And I love it. Last year my brother gave an African village a goat, 2 chickens, and art supplies for the local school; the art supplies specifically being on behalf of my sister and I. My sister knit hats, scarves, and mitts for a youth shelter in Toronto. My dad donated to the construction of a hospital in Africa. I can't wait to see what they've given to this year. I know that my sister bought everyone socks from the store she works at. Each pair of socks purchased there helps support local shelters. I don't even want anything for Christmas anymore. I have everything I need, anything that I want I can buy myself. So really, I feel like this is the best way to do the holidays. I feel good about it, it makes me proud of my family, and it can still be a really thoughtful gift (like my brother and the art supplies)! I'm all for alternative gifts!
This year my sister bought a child a birth certificate in my name One of the coolest gifts I've ever gotten!
I would be quite happy with such a gift, knowing that someone or something will benefit from it, in particular in developing countries.
This is the first time I heard of alternative gifts. No, I'm not particularly impressed. A gift for me is a gift for me. A gift for someone else is a gift for someone else. If my boyfriend wants to give something nice to the 'less unfortunate', I'll happily help with that, but don't say he's doing it 'under my name'. I have little emotional attachment to these hypothetical people so I will be just like meh.
Where I live that isn't a common thing, whilst I've heard of it, I never actually came in touch with that. But I think it's a pretty cool thing! Most people already have enough and giving something to the ones that don't, I can't imagine something better. I guess I have always been that "we need to help everyone"-friend, heh.
