Since I moved to Seattle and in with Eric, Christmas (and the winter holidays generally) have become fairly non-event kind of events. For one, Eric was raised Jewish and so doesn’t have an attachment to Christmas (or Hannukah, really, for that matter). I grew up celebrating Christmas and we decorated a tree every year and it was all a very nice tradition. I’m not sure if I would feel differently if I had kids, but I just don’t feel any attachment to having a tree myself (I hate the idea of killing a tree, just so it can sit, dying in our house for a couple of weeks and then end up in a landfill and even getting a live tree that is planted later on seems to me to subject the tree to unnecessary trauma). Sometimes I think about putting up holiday lights in the house or on the front porch, but usually lose my motivation for that. For the past several years, my dad has come out to Seattle for the winter break and we usually have a very low-key Christmas. I’ll usually cook something nice and Eric and I open presents with my mom, sister and their significant others over Skype. Last year, I made this vegan cinnamon pull-apart bread, which was divine and a tribute to my mom’s cinnamon rolls she always made for Christmas morning.
I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a Grinch at Christmas, but it’s just not that exciting a holiday for me anymore. I find the unbridled consumption at this time of year off-putting, especially all the shopping without a thought for those who have produced the goods that are being bought. I try to minimize shopping at this time of year as much as possible and usually try to make presents for everyone. The past two years, Tish and I spent months before the holiday season making things like soap, vanilla extract, lip balm, candles, salted kahlua truffles, chile cardamom truffles, cookie jar mixes, etc. We made tons of each thing and then had enough to make sweet little packages for the people in our lives. This year, I didn’t do much planning and Tish is no longer living in Seattle (nor have we spoken in months), so I’m not as well-prepared as I have been in the past couple of years for gift giving. This year, I’m making a few things on my own for my family back east, but overall I think it will be a low-key year.
If you’re crafty and have it in you to make gifts for the holidays this year (crafts, baked goods, vegan candies, etc), I think that’s a great option. But another very nice option for holiday giving, is to…
Donate on behalf of someone you love to one of these amazing non-profit organizations! The great thing about making a donation as a holiday gift is that there is no waste, fewer issues of ethical consumption, AND you get to share with your loved ones the act of helping a great organization continue to do the important work they do. I have had the pleasure of meeting each of the people who run these organizations and can personally vouch for the extraordinary work they do. If you’re thinking of donating to a non-profit this year, please consider one of these three:
- Food Empowerment Project: The Food Empowerment project is an especially exciting organization because they are actually doing work that thinks carefully about humans, animals and the environment. Unlike other nonprofits, which tend to be dedicated to only animal rights or only environmental justice, etc., the Food Empowerment Project has campaigns that work to alleviate suffering and injustice at the intersections of human, animal and environmental oppression. Their campaign to end child slavery in cacao production, for instance, or their vegan Mexican food campaign are great examples of campaigns that are thoughtfully engaged in some very important work. I am so excited about this organization.
- Beagle Freedom Project: If you’ve been moved by Saoirse’s story here, here and here, consider supporting the Beagle Freedom Project. Though I did not work with them to get Saoirse, I have worked with them in other capacities. Run out of L.A., this amazing group is a national (and international) network for rescuing beagles out of research. Beagles tend to be the most common breed for labratory research and the need for efficient, discrete, knowledgable and compassionate rescue groups is very high. The Beagle Freedom Project is fantastic and they have helped to get so many animals out of research and into patient, loving homes.
- Pigs Peace Sanctuary: If you follow my blog at all, you already know of my love and respect for Pigs Peace and the amazing work they do to rescue, rehabilitate and give nearly 200 pigs and other animals a home full of loving kindness. Pigs Peace is an extraordinary sanctuary and is always in need of support to keep things running.
Do you have favorite organizations that you can vouch for and/or recommend? Any interesting outside-the-box holiday gift ideas?
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