Yesterday, my sister sent me a link to a story from the Boston Globe about how more and more human beings?Millennials and submit-millennials particularly?Are asking their circle of relatives contributors and buddies not to buy them new stuff for Christmas. Instead, they will be inquiring for secondhand items or presents of reviews, including museum passes and occasion tickets. In addition to the individual stories, the aspect presents survey information to reveal that nearly half of of of all Americans might do not forget giving secondhand gives, and properly over half of would be inclined to acquire them.
In distinct phrases, I even have yet again located myself?To my complete wonder?Ahead of the curve.
Because, as you know, Brian and I were giving secondhand and otherwise green gives for years. I regularly put up a inexperienced gift roundup article after the holidays approximately which of the gifts we gave that one year were green, and the way they went over, in addition to approximately any gifts we obtained so that it will help us lead a greener existence within the coming yr. I truly have a column classified
This year, I'm pleased to report, we're off to a good start. Earlier today, Brian and I dragged out the box of items we've picked up at yard sales and other events as possible gifts, and we went through it to figure out which of them might be suitable for this year. Some of them didn't make the cut—in particular, an assortment of books, mostly from yard sales, that we'd been holding onto for years in hopes one of our niblings would like them. We finally concluded that any kid in our family who wanted to own these probably already did, so we set them aside to donate to our local library's first annual Children and Teens Book Sale. (We also culled some board games that we never play from our collection for this purpose.)
However, other items in the box were more on-target. Without getting too specific (since some of our relatives occasionally read this blog), we found books we'd acquired at the library book sale, toys and clothes picked up at yard sales, works of art bought from the annual Arts in the Park Event, and pre-owned games that some of our niblings should be just the right age for. Between those and subscriptions to eco-friendly publications, we've already got over one-third of our holiday gifts covered with items that qualify as green.
As for the gifts we still need to buy, we have several ideas about where to shop for additional green items. The aforementioned Children and Teens Book Sale is two weeks from now, and it will afford an opportunity to find not books and games for the children and teens who aren't covered yet—as well as for game-playing families. I've also been cruising eBay for potential clothing gift items, and I've watch-listed a couple I have my eye on. And I can always check out Alibris for specific books I'm hoping to find secondhand.
We've already bought a few gifts that didn't qualify as green (such as the game we gave my cousin, which we encouraged him to open right away so we could play it together over Thanksgiving weekend). And there are a couple of gifts we're making (mostly homemade foodstuffs) that aren't especially eco-friendly. So our gift list won't be 100 percent green this year, but with a little luck, we may be able to come closer than we ever have before.
