Gift Giving This Year

Reader Contribution by Shawn Hosford
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Several weeks back, one of my dear friends, readers, and book editors forwarded me an email with information about a few charities and how they spend people’s hard earned donations. It reminded me of an article a boss sent to me years ago and a conversation my stepfather and I had when I was much younger about his research into the irresponsible spending of the Red Cross and AARP. During the past few weeks, our mailbox has been littered with donation envelopes. Because it is the season of asking and receiving, it seems a good time to do some investigating into where all our December dollars and donations end up.

For many years, our family has attempted to find our way to the most useful holiday gifting. My husband and I have decided on years of no gifting, regardless of the fact that I have often changed my mind before the 25th, and failed to notify him of that change. Other years, we’ve made big proclamations that all gifts should be homemade, books, or donations to charity, and not all family members held up their end of those agreements either. Regardless of the specifics, most every year we spend some time as a family considering what we should do about gift giving, and about where to spend our money with the most reward to all.

This year, I had hoped to give small local sustainable gifts to friends and family who would be dropping by during the holiday season, donate in honor of others, and give gift certificates of experiences to some; but that dream will necessarily be placed on hold until next year. Having until recently been unemployed for six months, and with Mark and I working toward a goal of freeing ourselves from credit, this year, I am saying “no gifts,” for the most part, and meaning it.

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