Thanks Giving Back

(Image from anitagrant.com)

These days, we (and by "we" of course I mean "I", but let's just go with it) get so overwhelmed with stress and work (like working on Friday, not that I'm bitter) and all the manufactured drama that goes with my life o' relative privilege that we forget that there is actually quite a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that all my friends and my family are healthy. I am thankful for being able to see some of my cousins last weekend, and seeing my other cousin next weekend. I am thankful that my mother will be here in a few short weeks, and that both Kelly and I will be able to spend the holidays together with our mothers, Kelly's extended family, and Casey and Molly(!).

I'm thankful that Jason and I decided to start this blog, mostly for us, so that I can keep up with what is going on in his life even though he now lives behind the Orange Curtain. I'm thankful that my friends are all safe and sound and employed (mostly). That no one is hurting for basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter), and that families are growing larger with new little ones and weddings, and not smaller.

I'm thankful for Nancy, who gives us candy, cards, and compliments, and lets us walk Foxy; and Foxy, who is always so happy to see us, even if we aren't carrying doggie treats, and even when we are rushing out the door and can only stop for a second to rub her belly or behind her ear.

In addition to recognizing all that we have to be thankful for, I also think that this time of the year is a good time to give back to our communities, our societies, our world, to help others that do not have as much to be thankful for. This could be a donation of goods, money, or time - whatever you have to spare. The best thing about giving back? Is that every bit (no matter how small) counts. Here are some things I'm thinking about:

Donating bedding and food products to the Los Angeles Mission. It is just amazing to me that we are one of the most prosperous and advanced countries in the world, yet we still have homelessness and people going hungry and falling through the cracks in the system.

Clearing out the closets and donating gently worn, re-sellable items to the American Cancer Society Discovery Shops.

We can't forget our animal friends too, both in our communities (by donating to the ASPCA) and to preserve their habitats on our planet (by donating to the WWF). If the wallet and budget are tight, please consider volunteering some time at an animal shelter. Many of the positions just require one orientation and then you can set your own hours as a volunteer (in case your schedule, like mine, is up in the air all the time).

Literacy and writing are THE MOST ESSENTIAL SKILLS for children (and adults) to have to enrich their lives, enhance their critical thinking, and empower themselves. Get involved in a Motheread-type program, which provides literacy programs for children and adults, or WriteGirl, which mentors high school girls in the art of creative writing and story telling.

We can also share some of the love and joy we feel this season with those that may not be as lucky. One of my favorite Christmas memories was spending a day at a domestic violence shelter wrapping donated Christmas presents for the women and children residents. But you could also volunteer at a hospice center to provide some much needed companionship to those that may feel forgotten and alone.

So this Thanksgiving, I will remember all that I have to be thankful for, in my life, in my community, in this world. We're all in this together, after all.

I will also look forward to eating turkey, stuffing, and pie. Yum.

Jessica's Holiday Gift Guide 2009

I'll confess, I'm a hit-or-miss gift giver. Some years, I get a fabulous idea and hit it out of the ball park with the PERFECT gift that is remembered and cherished YEARS later (if I do say so myself), and some years I bomb and give a totally boring gift that I don't even remember giving the day after Christmas.* Like one year, when Jason and I first met, I was showing Jason the socks I was wearing, and then he, in turn, showed me his socks, which were these boring NIKE swoop socks, and I was all, "Ummm, okay, why are you showing me your boring NIKE socks when I am showing you my fun sparkly SUPERSTAR socks?" He informed me that I was showing him the socks that he gave me as a present (oops, I had forgotten where I'd gotten them - my terrible memory is a bane of my existence), and so he was reciprocating by showing me that coincidentally he was wearing THE SOCKS I HAD BOUGHT FOR HIM AS A PRESENT. Yes, friends. I had bought my bestest friend (granted it was early when we first met, but still) NIKE athletic socks for Christmas and then I promptly forgot about it. It is a wonder Jason found it in his heart to give me another chance and didn't dump me as a friend right then and there.

* No matter what, if the gift is a hit or a....(I guess I'll just say it) miss, I always try and put 110% into the wrapping. I have never met a person that does not appreciate a well-wrapped gift. Jason and I have had a competition through the years about who is the better and more creative gift wrapper. I'm sure we'll elaborate more on our wrapping styles and techniques in a later post. (This also reminds me, I've got to stock up on ribbon! (Ribbon is what MAKES the gift wrap.))

ANYWAY, tangent aside, my point is this: We all want to give good quality gifts to the people we love, but if you are like me and just barely climbing out of credit card debt, you are in no condition to spend unlimited quantities of money on gift-giving. Therefore, I am compiling this list for some great ideas that will make your family and friends happy, but will also do minimal (hopefully!) damage to your wallet.

I started this list with one basic rule: Just because I was trying not to spend too much, I didn't want to simply give "stocking stuffer" gifts to everyone. I mean stocking stuffer gifts (NIKE socks, magnets, one small candle, etc.) are fun and definitely have their place in a Holiday stocking amongst other stocking stuffers, but as a stand alone gift to a friend? I think we can do better, don't you? So let's get to it!

FOR THE ONE WHO HAS EVERYTHING
We all know people like this - they are always shopping and always buying things so that it is impossible to find something that they want that they haven't already bought for themselves. For these people, the key, I think, is to get them something that they NEVER EVEN KNEW THEY WANTED. Which, as you know, is hard to do. But how about a Jeweled Skinny Headband ($32)? A girl can never have enough hair accessories, especially if she idolizes Blair Waldorf.

The other option would be to go basic with this friend. Everyone can always use another basic - like leggings, or tees, or tights. The key with basics? Make sure they are quality. So LNA Latex Leggings (on sale for $64) (admittedly, maybe not so wallet friendly). Even if she already has a pair (or several) of leggings, she'll always appreciate one more pair. Or Wolford ($45) or We Love Colors ($12.50) tights, in a fun, deep fall hue or pattern (lace, deep berry, grey). Or how about an unbelievably soft Alternative Apparel basic tee ($38) that she'll want to live in forever (Bonus! This tee is unisex!)?

Of course, if this friend REALLY has EVERYTHING, you can't go wrong with a donation in their name to their favorite charity. I know money and money-type gifts get a bad rap, but I think they are ok. If you don't know what kind of charitable leanings your friend has, I suggest the adopt an animal program from the World Wildlife Fund. They have a list of species that need help, and different donation levels. For as little as $25, you can adopt an animal (snow leopard! polar bear! grey wolf!) in your friend's name, and they will get a species info card and a photo. For $250, they get other goodies like a plush toy and reuseable bags, etc. Who wouldn't want to help these animals?

FOR THE ONE THAT NEEDS SOME INDULGENCE
She's so busy that she doesn't have time to pamper herself. Fabulous lotions and potions would allow her to indulge herself on a day-to-day basis, and can fit seamlessly into her wash-and-go lifestyle. There's the Bliss body wash and lotion set ($25) in that addictive lemony scent. Or the Fresh Rice Body Oil ($45) which smells clean and divine. Or the Rachel Zoe recommended Kiel's Argan Dry Oil ($30) for a luxurious after shower experience.

There are also hair products. Hair dries out in these winter months and then gets frizzy and unmanageable. Give her a bottle of Kerastase Bain Satin 3 ($35) for a luxury hair shampoo that could add a fun oompf to her hair care routine. And I know both Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie swear by Moroccan Hair Oil ($39) as a conditioning treatment - it is supposed to work wonders!

FOR THOSE CRAFTY GIRLS:
You know what I have recently discovered love of? Etsy.com. It's like homemade ebay for hipsters. Or a virtual flea market/craft fair.

(BTW, did I ever tell you that my friends and I in elementary school started a stationary business in which we would stamp our stamps on card stock and then try and sell them at craft fairs? It was pretty pathetic because it would only be our parents that would buy our "wares". I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name of our company. But we expanded to other girls (mostly because these other girls had more rubber stamps that we could use) and finally, we expanded too much where I felt like I was losing creative control over the company and the design aesthetic (no, Summer, I DO NOT WANT you to make stationary with BLUE BALLOONS. EVERYONE KNOWS that our signature stationary has PINK BALLOONS.) The group also became fragmented and political (as all large groups of pre-teen girls are bound to do) and it became less about the stamps and stationary and more a popularity contest. So we disbanded. And [insert totally forgotten name here] shut its doors for good. And now I apologize for this tangent, but this is what I remember when I first wrote "craft fair".)

ANYWAY, Etsy is like a modern-day internet craft fair. And you can get canvas bags or scarves or fingerless gloves in all kinds of bird patterns and funky colors for $30 or less.

(Hahaha, do you like that when I think "hipster" I think orange feathers, owls, scarves, ironically printed bags, and fingerless gloves?)

Alright. That's all I've got for today. I was going to post on gifts for guys and maybe gifts for kiddies, but my brain is hurting a little and my laundry is piling up so I will have to save guys and kids for another time. I hope this was helpful for you. At the very least, I hope the little tangents and stories of my ineptitude have amused you!