Comments on: Alternatives to Traditional Christmas Gifts http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/ Spicy Thoughts on Personal Finance Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:19:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Black Coffee: My Favorite Blogs, Money News & Opinions #26http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-883 Black Coffee: My Favorite Blogs, Money News & Opinions #26 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:22:21 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-883 [...] Fiscal Fizzle… because over at my pecuniary pepper, Wojo came up with some really nice alternatives to traditional Christmas gifts. [...] [...] Fiscal Fizzle… because over at my pecuniary pepper, Wojo came up with some really nice alternatives to traditional Christmas gifts. [...]

]]> By: ConsciouslyFrugalhttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-882 ConsciouslyFrugal Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:38:49 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-882 David, have you ever seen the documentary "What Would Jesus Buy?" It's about the activist/performance theater of Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping (formerly Church of Not Shopping, which I like better!). Anyhoo, it addresses waste, debt, consumer culture, apathy, Christmas--the whole messy motherload of which you speak. A great film. If you have Netflix, you can view it online. David, have you ever seen the documentary “What Would Jesus Buy?” It’s about the activist/performance theater of Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping (formerly Church of Not Shopping, which I like better!). Anyhoo, it addresses waste, debt, consumer culture, apathy, Christmas–the whole messy motherload of which you speak. A great film. If you have Netflix, you can view it online.

]]> By: Danielhttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-881 Daniel Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:35:47 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-881 Haha yup. But I guess that's why you have to set a limit on the price of a gift. Otherwise you get one iPod and people get jealous. .-= Daniel´s last post: <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SweatingTheBigStuff/~3/ohLjgsXnLqE/" rel="nofollow">Bank of America Sucks!</a> =-. Haha yup. But I guess that’s why you have to set a limit on the price of a gift. Otherwise you get one iPod and people get jealous.
.-= Daniel´s last post: Bank of America Sucks! =-.

]]> By: Wojciech Kulickihttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-880 Wojciech Kulicki Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:36:05 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-880 That's a great solution, and I think it's very good that you're sharing that with everyone in your family. When everyone's on board, it makes it so much easier to execute--no one's complaining about not getting gifts. That’s a great solution, and I think it’s very good that you’re sharing that with everyone in your family. When everyone’s on board, it makes it so much easier to execute–no one’s complaining about not getting gifts.

]]> By: ctreithttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-879 ctreit Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:52:51 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-879 We like to spend time with family. We deliberately do not buy gifts but rather do something as a family. Our parents have always liked the gift of time more than any one thing that we have bought. Anyway, it seem like parents have everything that they need or want already. We like to spend time with family. We deliberately do not buy gifts but rather do something as a family. Our parents have always liked the gift of time more than any one thing that we have bought. Anyway, it seem like parents have everything that they need or want already.

]]> By: Wojciech Kulickihttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-878 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:41:55 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-878 Yeah, no kidding. I was absolutely AMAZED at the amount of boxes and paper trash we had to TRUCK out of our apartment after both our wedding shower and our baby shower. Christmas is not far behind. It takes hours just to get rid of the packaging and actually get to enjoy whatever you got. My wife loves crinkly paper, by the way. :) Had to throw that in there. I always shake my head when she goes nuts with it... Yeah, no kidding. I was absolutely AMAZED at the amount of boxes and paper trash we had to TRUCK out of our apartment after both our wedding shower and our baby shower. Christmas is not far behind. It takes hours just to get rid of the packaging and actually get to enjoy whatever you got.

My wife loves crinkly paper, by the way. :) Had to throw that in there. I always shake my head when she goes nuts with it…

]]> By: Wojciech Kulickihttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-877 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:39:58 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-877 I have to admit--I never had the opportunity to do that (although I think I saw it on an episode of The Office once, of course--that one did not end as well as yours). It sounds like a lot of fun. I have to admit–I never had the opportunity to do that (although I think I saw it on an episode of The Office once, of course–that one did not end as well as yours).

It sounds like a lot of fun.

]]> By: Danielhttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-876 Daniel Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:47:45 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-876 At work did had a white elephant. Everyone brought in a present and we went around the room, picking presents or stealing. It was a lot of fun, and even though I ended up with the worst present in the room (this was the only bad present) I had a good time. Assuming everyone brings in nice gifts, almost everyone is happy and everyone has a good laugh. .-= Daniel´s last post: <a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SweatingTheBigStuff/~3/ohLjgsXnLqE/" rel="nofollow">Bank of America Sucks!</a> =-. At work did had a white elephant. Everyone brought in a present and we went around the room, picking presents or stealing. It was a lot of fun, and even though I ended up with the worst present in the room (this was the only bad present) I had a good time. Assuming everyone brings in nice gifts, almost everyone is happy and everyone has a good laugh.
.-= Daniel´s last post: Bank of America Sucks! =-.

]]> By: SEO consultant Davidhttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-875 SEO consultant David Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:26:37 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-875 I was going to mention the charity option, but you covered it off pretty well. I would just add that the whole gift-giving process is a massive environmental disaster, creating piles of waste and consuming huge quantities of energy to produce items that are by definition unnecessary and in most cases unwanted. Even worse, in these modern times of plenty, we take the usually over-packages gifts and wrap them, then wrap them again (in a bag) and throw some extra krinkly paper on them just for good measure. It's all very well for us to bitch about the emissions from the factory down the road, but at least emsissions from a food processing plant serve a purpose. The pollution caused to extract the resources, produce the gifts, ship them, wrap them and store them in a dump somewhere don't even serve a purpose. But I suppose if we pollute with a smile, it must be OK. :-) I was going to mention the charity option, but you covered it off pretty well. I would just add that the whole gift-giving process is a massive environmental disaster, creating piles of waste and consuming huge quantities of energy to produce items that are by definition unnecessary and in most cases unwanted. Even worse, in these modern times of plenty, we take the usually over-packages gifts and wrap them, then wrap them again (in a bag) and throw some extra krinkly paper on them just for good measure. It’s all very well for us to bitch about the emissions from the factory down the road, but at least emsissions from a food processing plant serve a purpose. The pollution caused to extract the resources, produce the gifts, ship them, wrap them and store them in a dump somewhere don’t even serve a purpose.

But I suppose if we pollute with a smile, it must be OK. :-)

]]> By: Wojciech Kulickihttp://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/12/christmas-gift-options/#comment-874 Wojciech Kulicki Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:55:19 +0000 http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/?p=2901#comment-874 Wow! What a neat concept, and I especially like the fact that you can do it once a year. A new tradition, indeed! Wow! What a neat concept, and I especially like the fact that you can do it once a year. A new tradition, indeed!

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