Out-Side the Box: Non-material Gifts
by
Elizabeth Bassett

Imagine not wrestling wrapping paper around oddly-shaped objects, no
pesky bits of tape to remove when it's time to recycle, a world
without sweaters in an unflattering shade of puce. This year, think
outside the box.
If trips to Recycle North and the Salvation Army dot your calendar,
maybe it's time for a possessions cease-fire. You've seen the bumper
sticker: The Best Things in Life Aren't Things. This might be the
December to consider some gift-giving alternatives.
What could be more precious than the gift of time? Give certificates
for labors of love. Recently, while digging through the attic, I found
a ticket to "Betsy's Car Wach." While I couldn't spell at age six I
knew how to soap up the 1954 Ford and rinse it clean. For Father's Day
I gave my dad the pleasure of watching his little girl frolic with the
bucket and hose. Perhaps he got a clean car, too. What chore does your
parent or partner hate- ironing, raking leaves, washing windows? Who
wouldn't welcome a kitchen smelling of freshly baked cookies or
muffins- and a tin full of the goods. Fire up the word processor and
create a certificate for raking, baking, or vacuuming. (Spell check
while you're at it.) If nothing else you'll gain a new appreciation
for how shirts get ironed or those mountains of leaves make it into
the woods.
Time buys precious results beyond the circle of family and friends.
Give a gift to our town this year. Most of Charlotte's institutions
run on volunteer energy: town committees, boards, and special projects
(Burns and Demeter properties). Charlotte Fire and Rescue members haul
themselves from bed to transport patients to the hospital, put out
fires, and rescue folks from misadventures on land and lake. If heavy
yellow coats hold little appeal consider balancing the books or
keeping the fire house window boxes in full flower.
My suburban and city-bound friends drool with envy when I describe
the community of Charlotte, where people know each other's faces,
names, and, alas, personal foibles. Savor the anachronism and
contribute talent and energy to make Charlotte an even better place.
The list of opportunities is long: Affordable Housing Committee, Lewis
Creek Association, Charlotte Land Trust, Charlotte Historical Society,
Charlotte Library, and Charlotte Senior Center, among others. This
town purrs along on the backs of its volunteers.
No extra time? Consider a financial contribution.
I recently read about a family that donates together at the holidays.
The parents write $100 checks for the contributions of each of their
three children. The kids select the charities and must write a letter
to each explaining why it was chosen. A family favorite is also one of
mine- Heifer International. The organization delivers the gift of
self-reliance and hope across the globe.
Without a trip to the mall or the post office, send an animal to
Kosovo, Bolivia, Equador, or the Philippines. A cow, goat, or water
buffalo gives milk; chickens, ducks or geese lay eggs; bees produce
honey, pollen, and beeswax in addition to pollinating crops; and we
all know about bunnies! They produce more bunnies. Income from these
animals sends kids to school, buys health care, food, and housing. A
flock of chicks- $20; a pig, producer of pork chops and fertilizer,
costs $120; a share of a pig just $10. No mucking out the barn or
chipping ice from the water trough. Just the pleasure of knowing that
a family's life has been improved with a gift that keeps on giving.
Telephone (800) 698-2511 or log on to www.heifer.org
Closer to home, mentoring needs men- and women too. The Vermont
Mentoring Partnership seeks to make a difference in the lives of kids
in need of positive role models. Not every child has a mom or dad who
can support a family, take time for a walk or a game of ball, cook a
healthy meal, or balance a family budget. Basic skills that many of us
take for granted we learned from our parents. A few hours each week
can make a difference in the lives of kids who, in a few short years,
will be employees and parents in our communities. Call the Vermont
Mentoring Partnership at (888) 886-3686 or at www.vtmentoring.org.
Something more self-indulgent for the ones you love is just a phone
call (and a credit card) away. A day at the spa translates to
sybaritic pleasure and time alone or with a friend. Other ideas:
dinner at a favorite restaurant or overnight at a bed and breakfast.
Volunteer to stay with the kids or the dog. Downhill or cross-country
ski tickets for those with more enthusiasm than cash. For the
equipment-challenged, local sports stores offer gift certificates. My
nephew loves his gift certificates from The Flying Pig. This year you
can support two Charlotte businesses by spending that Flying Pig
certificate on an Eating Well cookbook. Your waistline and heart will
thank you well into 2005.
As we look beyond these dark winter days toward the light of spring,
remember that any gift that makes the world safer and healthier is
money or time well spent. Peace.