BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas

Subject: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: GUEST,Vintage Martin
Date: 05 Dec 01 - 02:09 PM

TheAlternative Gift Market is a non-profit organization that lets you give your friends "gifts" of donations to agencies that inovlved in humanitarian, environmental, etc., causes, instead of material things.

For those of us who wish to break out of the Holiday shopping rat race, for one reason or another (hard to find the "right" present, too late to get it there in time, don't like the environmental impact of packaging and shipping, just don't like the commercialization of Christmas, etc.), AGM offers a neat alternative. Choose a cause that your friend believes in, and make a donation in their name, sending them a card to tell them what you've given in their name.

The website has all the details, catalogs of organizations and projects, and what you can buy for your specified donation.

Check it out.

VM [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: GUEST,Paul M.
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:18 AM

Good site. Here's an example of an org. that supports both educ. and enrvir. (alternative energ y). They provide solar-powered computers for students in Honduras.

Click Here

PMS

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: GUEST,Delia
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 06:03 PM

This is a good site if you don't already have a charity in mind, but if you do, you can always make a contribution to it as a gift to a friend. People often to this for friends who have died, in lieu of sending flowers. If you know of an organization your friend supports, just make a donation in their name and send your friend a card to tell them about it.

D

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 03:46 PM

The Social Justice Action Committee at the Unitarian Church I attend has promoted the AGM over the past 3 years both as a project in its own right and as a fund raiser. I'm glad to know about the organization, cuz it helps me find projects I feel like backing.

I still buy toys and stuff for the kids, of course, and if I have a special gift in mind that I know someone on my list would love, I may buy it (or compose it, or make it ). But I hate the perfunctory nature of a lot of Christmas shopping and gift giving, and this is a way to break away from that rat race.

Genie

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 01 - 01:29 AM

'fresh

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 05:50 PM

I decided to go ahead and sign up for the Mudcat Secret Santa this year, but only because it may afford an avenue for connecting with other catters -- not because I need more "stuff." One option I will give on my "wish list" is for my gift to be a donation to certain charitable organizations, via the Alternative Gift Market or otherwise.

Misophist, in your post on the recent "Secret Santa" thread, you said you would "go for something that was a charity...". Here's a way. And, Stilly River Sage, in reply, you said Misophist was "... obviously you're not a good candidate for the folks-who-are-incurably-cheerful-around-the-holidays program. ... can all use ...some practice trying to understand strangers, trying to anticipate how to give pleasure to people we've never met (within reason. . .).

Wanting to exchange donations to charities does not make one a "bah-humbug!" type. (It could be argued it's more in the true spirit of Christmas than exchanging fruitcakes is -- but I'm not here to put down those who enjoy giving and receiving tangible goodies, too.)

This is simply on kind of "gift" that folks can choose to give and/or receive -- another option for your "Christmas wish list."

Genie

Subject: RE: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Mudlark
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:26 PM

I use both methods of giving. I successfully used the charity bit as a gift transition for aging teens I no longer had a clue about from toys/clothes--used specific non-profit orgs to match interests, like Wolf Rescue (notification of gift in recipient's name also receives 8x10 photo of rescued wolf, backstory, etc.). Also, Heifers International, where a donation, depending on size goes toward domestic livestock for impoverished around the world, the only stipulation being that they in turn have to pass on offspring. The idea being something more interesting than just general aid charities...works well too for those that really have everything.

Thanks for the info on this website...

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: NicoleC
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 11:47 PM

Great link! The whole clan has decided to go gift-less this year and give our Christmas budget to charity instead, except for the younger kids. I always make a few donations at the end of the year, but this kind of agreement in the family makes it possible to really help out. I really could do without a bunch of stuff I don't want or need from people who have no clue what to buy me.

I haven't picked a cause yet, but locally, we have several organizations that have Christmas sponsorship programs for local needy families. I've known several folks who have done this, and they say it's quite humbling to get "Dear Santa" letters forwarded to you from young kids who want a coat or new socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 01:40 PM

Our church will be doing the Alternative Gift Market during coffee hour on 3 Sundays in Dec. The church gets a bit of revenue (partly from the cards we make to send folks to tell them about the service organization that has been given a donation in their name), but nearly all goes to the organizations themselves.

If you want to help "unplug the Christmas machine," this is one way to do it.

Subject: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 03:55 PM

Just got 80% of my Christmas shopping done yesterday with a single VISA charge and no shipping/handling expense or worry about the gifts not arriving on time.

I bought, among other things,
-antibiotics for Afghan refugees
-solar-powered computers for students in Central America
-several new trees for Portland
-fuel efficient stoves for Honduras
-malaria protection for people in the Congo
-family garden assistance for Bosnia

All the people I give this sort of gift to are folks who share my distaste for the Christmas-gift-buying machine and who don't really want more "stuff" unless it's a specific, well-thought-out, very personal gift.

(The kids seem to prefer pictures of dead presidents and 18th C. Postmasters-General or Secretaries Of The Treasury. They all have special projects they are saving for.)

Of course, some people will be receiving MUDCAT CDs (plug,plug) instead of or in addition to one of these "alternative gifts."

But it's a relief to have the shopping done so quickly and in keeping with my ideas about Christmas.

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: mg
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 06:20 PM

I told my family they might be getting a Heifer (or more likely, a couple of rabbits) for Christmas this year. Last year, except for the one great niece, they got medical supplies for Afghanistan. I think itis a great idea. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Amos
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 07:11 PM

Hey, it's none of my business but I would vote for MUDCAT SAMPLER CDs instead of trees in Portland. I thought Portland had tons of trees!! :>)

A

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 07:57 PM

Depends which Portland you mean... the one I know has very few trees... the wind is so fierce there most of the year that those that do grow, grow sideways.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 11:46 AM

Well, Amos, we do still have lots of trees (partly because "Friends Of Trees" keeps planting them), but there are forces out there trying to turn Portland into LA. We gotta keep replacing the trees that fall down in our windstorms, floods, and mud slides, and the ones that folks cut down to build condos or to get a better view of the..., well,.. trees!

But, hey, I AM buying some MUDCAR SAMPLER CDs in ADDITION to the "alternative gifts." (There are a few on my gift list who would hardly ever play a CD of any sort, much less folk music!)

Genie

Subject: BS: Unplugging the Christmas machine: AGM
From: Genie
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 06:00 PM

DK why this thread Alternative Gift Market is closed, but it's worth mentioning the AGM again, especially for people who need/want last minute gifts that are meaningful and not a perpetuation of the Christmas shopping rat race.

After years of giving and receiving wrong sizes, wrong colors, duplicates, or just plain unfortunate choices, I was delighted to find out about the Alternative Gift Market, where you can donate to a wide variety of screened and researched non-profit organizations and projects in the name of someone as a gift to them.    Many gifts have fund-matching attached too.

There you go, Genie. I found the old thread, opened it, and transferred your message here. Mudelf

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:37 PM

I haven't a clue as to what the conversation was that is cited above. But four years have passed. . .

Subject: RE: BS: Alternative Gift Market For Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 09:09 PM

The tangential conversation between Amos and me wasn't the point of the thread.