'Tis the season, right?  My mom (very considerately) asked me if I wanted to participate in our family's gift swap this year, and I said I would, provided that all of the participants understood I wouldn't be giving stuff this year and I wouldn't want any stuff this year.  I hate getting crap that I don't need and I hate giving something to someone because I feel like I have to.  She asked me for suggestions: I told her that movie passes are a big treat, or someone can underwrite my dance classes for a week, or contribute a little to my latest art project, or buy me a massage if they're feeling really generous...lots of not-things make me happy!  And, in truth, I don't really need anything.

So what to buy?  Luckily my list isn't too long.  Looking back at the gifts I gave so far this year, I'm proud of some of the things I managed to come up with that wouldn't sit around in someone's house and then get thrown in the landfill.  I gave a lot of food - chocolates, brownies, artisanal honey - and experiences - I sent my boss to BAM and my dad to fiddle camp.  When faced with buying a wedding present, I chose a book, figuring that good cookbooks are something you hang on to for a while.  The baby gifts were the trickiest: I chose to participate in a group gift for one of them, assuming that a larger amount might go toward something more durable than the onesie I could afford; I actually bought a onesie (organic) for a gorgeous new baby in our crowd because it was so cute I couldn't resist!  Baby stuff is addictive.  The gift I'm most ashamed of is the going-away present I bought for another co-worker: we had an inside joke about squirrels, and I just had to get her a tote with a squirrel on it.  I can only hope she'll use it for groceries and it will have saved many plastic bags.  (I kind of doubt it.)