A Socially Responsible Christmas

Christmas is the coziest time of year. My favourite things are being home with family, sitting by the fireplace or Christmas tree, playing games, cuddling with my nephews and pets and bundling up and going for walks (or in my family... going golfing). I am an extremist when it comes to being cozy, wearing the fuzziest socks and warmest scarves. I love shopping malls and markets, if only for the hustle and bustle and great moods that everyone is in. It's a time of year to reflect on achievements and to just relax and veg on yummy treats.

It's a time for cozy naps under the tree.

And cozy Christmas pj's

And a rather perfect time for my newest passion...

Fondant & sprinkles & icing oh my!

However...as many other people I've spoke too, I struggle with the materialism of the season.

I've been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting, having freshly arrived home from one of the highly impoverished countries in the world, and this year I have a slightly different perspective. After experiencing Diwali in Jaipur I've seen a Universal truth, mainly being this: materialism happens everywhere. I was shocked to discover that Indians spend billions of dollars on firecrackers and sweets every year. I spent my Diwali visiting various homes in the slums of Jaipur. I don't know what I expected, but we saw that everyone had a new outfit to wear, new jewelry and various new items for puja (Hindu worship). We were given gifts and force-fed sweets everywhere we went. I was somewhat surprised at the similarities between Christmas here and Diwali there.

It made me realize that no matter where you live or what conditions you're living in, it is human to love holidays. To have that one part of the year where you splurge a little more and treat those you love -- whether it's a monetary splurge or otherwise.

At this time of year we all have our chance to do a little good -- whether it`s volunteering for Christmas Cheer or Siloam Mission or shopping for sustainable Christmas gifts. It's the time when everyone seems to particularly giving. In the past week I have done two festive campaigns for two different clients that are entirely centered around giving back to our communities. We're donating lots of corporate money and time to Christmas charities based around Winnipeg, Regina and Edmonton...more than I could give alone all year. This is when I LOVE my job.

So I invite you to enjoy some guilt-free indulgence this holiday season. It doesn't have to mean indulging in something you don't need. I mean the real stuff: love, hugs, food & giving. The magic of Christmas comes in those little moments: seeing the face of a loved one light up opening a gift, letting someone in line ahead of you who seems to be in a rush or helping someone in need.

If you're looking for interesting gift ideas that are socially responsible and could give women and artisans all over the world a hand up, look no further than Divas4Divas. They have everything from intricate Haitian Metal Art pieces, to bright furniture made from sari cloth, to hand bags, jewellery and scarves from Uganda. OR, give a loan with Kiva.org.  What a powerful way to (literally) spread Christmas Cheer.

Here's another guy spreading the cheer.
Happy December!