Green Giving :: For the Kids

Looking to reduce the impact of the holidays on our wallets - and on our planet - we are making a concerted effort this year to rethink our gift giving strategy. With the kids, we have not completely outlawed the idea of buying something off their wish lists, but are also looking at alternatives. Handmade, secondhand, local and experiential gifts will all be found under the tree (and in the stockings) this year.

My eldest daughter is a passionate writer - documenting our every move in her self-defined "Realistic Fiction" style. ("I know it didn't happen that way Mom, but it could have!") For her, I found a manual typewriter on ebay - under $30 with shipping! Not too shabby. And cute to boot. (It even types in - gasp! - cursive!)



I have included a new ribbon, and a stack of blank 100% recycled paper. As her story sharing has spread to numerous letters to her Grammee and her friend on the other side of the city, I also plan to include some unbleached recycled envelopes and a packet of (much coveted) stamps.