PSA: Christmas

[mirrorshard]

Early, I suppose, but I was reminded that some people do get terribly organized this early in the year and start getting presents.

So, without further ado: I don't do Christmas. I'll happily exchange best wishes, and I might cook myself something nice, but I try to stay well away from celebrations and most of all I don't like to give or receive presents. It stresses me, both because I have too much stuff already and because I get depressed and panicky about finding appropriate presents.

If you were thinking of giving me a Christmas present, please don't! I don't mind cards at all (although I do not accept or acknowledge any obligation to reciprocate - however, see below) but actual presents genuinely do upset me a bit.

Regarding goats and other charitable-donation presents, I'm content but bemused. Charitable donations are basically a good thing, I feel, but making them in someone else's name and then telling them you've done it always strikes me as faintly ludicrous. (However, if it does strike you as appropriate, I'd like to offer some mild encouragement in the direction of cancer research and heart research charities. Possibly one of these days I should do a photoshoot, like certain other people I know.)

One thing I'm thinking about doing this year is making some cards - probably hand-printed woodblock designs.
[Poll #1280645]

Comments

[midnightmelody.livejournal.com]

of course the charity is not actually going to use its money according to what the small donors want, otherwise there'd be far too many goats and nowhere near enough sanitation. However, I imagine that the amount of money which comes from such donations is small enough that there will never be a problem with, say, more people donating money to buy goats than actual goats bought, if that makes sense. So it's a sort of polite fiction.

Most charities actually have a disclaimer saying that they will use the money within the broad area you've picked (eg a particular region, or 'health' or 'education') but will choose the specifics that will most help the country.

[elettaria.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've seen. My other half has just spent two and a half years working for Barnardo's, and started with Oxfam this morning, where he now has minions (bookshop manager).