I love shopping my values! The single biggest thing we have influence over under capitalism is where we spend our money! It’s also where we put our time and energy.
All of the choices we make during our time on earth are a synthesis of those three things.
The book the Soul of Money talks more about the energy of your use of money, and I talk more about that book with Colin of Queer Cosmos on my recent podcast episode. (Episode 142.)
Basically: our money has energy and so are all of the gifts we give at the holiday season. Energy! Thought!
What does each gift say to the recipient? I saw this resource of Black Friday sales on COVID safety equipment from reputable manufacturers. Nothing says “I want you to be alive next year” like a bunch of cool N95s!
Or if you really want to help someone create a safe(r) home or office environment, an air purifier! Quality of air is quality of life!
Not getting sick because you wear a mask consistently is quality of life! Not to mention all the lives you can save!
And what about COVID testing being down 90%–if people have access to tests they will use them and perhaps help stop the spread (hopeful question mark)?
The earlier you shop the more options for who gets your money–I love shopping small business as much as possible because I know those dollars feed and house a family.
I shop the big stores right now when prices don’t get any lower than this weekend with so-called Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals. My internet Mormon mom Jordan Page says only buy what you need this weekend but stock up when it’s on sale.
I was thinking about the gift with intention. I get a safety gift every year from Mom and Pat. I love it, they improve my life! As an act of service love language person I love thoughtful safety gifts and I love when people buy what I need from a wishlist (rather than guessing or giving me random stuff).
Last year Mom & Pat got me this Tough Guy Safety Light with a USB charger–it’s been awesome for every power outage! For people you know who love “gear” this is quality “gear.”
As someone who lives tiny I also appreciate getting consumables. I love getting something great my loved one uses and thinks I’ll love! Someone bought me their favorite maple tea and now it’s my favorite maple tea! It was so thoughtful.
Part of living is being interdependent–adrienne maree brown teaches this as the combination of generosity without strings attached and also vulnerability, asking for our needs to be met. You have to receive in order to complete the interdependence loop.
That’s been a huge learning edge for me, culminating in the patreon membership that makes it possible for me to podcast & blog this frequently! See my Year of Ask tag for more of that intentional journey of learning how to ask for help!
Okay, one other I hope you’re alive for the holidays next year gift I thought of is a Just in Case bucket from my friend Mama Love! You order by DMing her on Instagram (if you don’t have IG just send me an email I’ll put you in touch my email is fatkiddanceparty at gmail dot com). Mama Love makes everything with so much love and I want to be prepared with great snacks and 30 year shelf stable food in case of the apocolypse, climate change, and further supply change shortages. Honesty, it’s a dream of mine to have a stockpile of food just in case for me and a lot of my neighbors and loved ones.
Mama Love and I have been in community together for four years–we met at 2018 at the Glowing Goddess Getaway!
I hope this inspires you to get thoughtful about gifts! How about disinfecting wipes or hand sanitizers in stockings or for Hanukkah gifts?
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