THE RICH GET RICHER...AND IT'S OUR MONEY!
GIFT SHOPPING FOR THE SHRINKING MIDDLE CLASS
by Robin Wheeler, Owner, Edible Landscapes

A friend came back from the US recently and said “Goodness! Those Americans sure have nice new cars!” Goodness! And where do you think they got all that money? From us! We can’t hand our money over the border fast enough - new computer games for the preteens, Pokemon for sis, and three Disney videos please. Kachink, kachink!

It would be nice to keep some of that Canadian currency in the neighbourhood, so if you want to change the global economy, or even buy a new car one day, start finding ways to give money back to people in your community (remember them? The shrinking middle class?). It will at least have a chance of coming back to you one day. And the below ideas are all “sustainable”, too!

Ooooh Gad! Now she’s going to tell us how to gift shop in a sustainable, politically correct manner! When does it stop!
Well, the buck stops here.

Get People What They Want - How do you know they want a box of chocolates? And why do you think buying that box at London Drugs is supporting the “local economy”? Maybe they want to do something with you. Find out first.

Consider The Source – Taking someone to the movies can be fun, but your money goes further if you support a local play or musical event.

Offer A Skill - Friends gave me a gift last year of several tiny forks, and several little wrenches . I can trade the forks in for a free, home cooked meal, and so far, I’ve used my wrenches to get a new fanbelt on my vacuum and a lock fixed on the door. This was a great gift, because I never have to feel guilty for asking a favour (or for free meals, as is my wont). Great gift!

Shop Locally - No, this doesn’t mean buying your Cheap Gizmo down the street instead of going to Vancouver. It means supporting a local craftperson while you’re looking for a gift. We have locals who have produced CD’s, art cards, pottery, books, and paintings. Maybe you can buy a certificate for someone to learn dancing, guitar playing, oil painting or singing.

Buy A Skill - Hire someone to do some work you can’t offer - to put up the shelves so someone can begin a special project, to repair an instrument or tool that would enrich a life.
MAKE SOMETHING SPECIAL - We don’t all have advanced art skills (and those who do already know what to give) but go through the library and see if you can find something you’d like to make. My favorite gift to give (and most affordable) is Christmas centerpieces, made out of evergreen sprigs, dried flowers, pine cones and holly, with a candle in the centre for the special dinner. And I love the ritual of going out with my big bucket to begin collecting the bits and pieces, and the smell in the room as I assemble them. We can all find something we can imbue with our time and pleasure, and strangely, these are usually very affordable things.

Recycle Something Special - If you’re a collector - of stamps, raku, old albums, small wooden boxes - this is a good time to add a sense of dynamism to your collection, by making a hole on the shelf and giving something away.

Use Your Imagination - One year, my dear old Dad, who can normally barely open a soup can by himself, offered “free party dinners” to all of his children. We would plan a dinner night, and dad would show up at the appointed hour with THE MAIN COURSE OF A COOKED DINNER. Doubly special because of the strain it must have caused him.
Offer to put in a garden bed, or stay with someone’s Granny or pets so they can go away for the weekend. Pay a local graphic artist to make you up some gift certificates. Keep that dollar flowing.

“Happiness is free” so don’t forget the value of spending quality time on your belly with a jigsaw puzzle and a five year old. and beats that old video, any day.

Robin Wheeler is the owner of Edible Landscaping and author of the Gardening Book Gardening for the Faint of Heart. She lives in Roberts Creek, BC.