Wise Gifting at Christmas
What on earth to give, without taking away from it
The Wise men had it easy. When it came to giving gifts that is. No doubt they undertook an arduous journey, following a star in search of a newborn king. And when they did find Him-though his kingdom was and is not of this world- they presented him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, gifts that were worthy of a king with an earthly kingdom. Sure they must have done some soul searching as to what to give him, and how to carry it securely through the long journey, but they most likely could not have faced the conundrum that we in the modern world face at this time of the year. What in the world can you gift somebody that will not adversely affect the planet?
Here are a few personal suggestions.
The easiest way, of course, is to gift someone a real live indoor or outdoor potted plant. Look out for cycle carts, moving about on city roads, laden with seasonal flowering plants like poinsettias, chrysanthemums, two-toned marigolds or roses in unusual shades. Or source unusual cactii or other seasonals or perennials from nearby plant nurseries.
Another option is to gift organically produced food items and toiletries. Think staple food items like dals and pulses, coffee, tea, honey, edible oils. Or make up a hamper of unusual spice blends, dips and sauces. Or fruit and vegetable pickles and preserves. You can source these via online stores or visit organic farmers markets. Select smaller sizes of the items you want to put in the hamper. Because you never know whether someone will like the taste of a new or slightly different food item, however ethically it may be produced. Do likewise with a hamper of toiletries -choosing unusual floral fragrances, herbal soaps, shampoos, moisturizers or anything else you fancy.
Generic and unisex clothing items like handkerchiefs, scarves, stoles, shawls dupattas and ties, and home linen-like sheets, pillowcases, quilts, bath towels, kitchen dishcloths, festive dining table-runners or mats, festive sofa covers, rugs, and accent cushion covers, are also always welcome. Look for labels or brands that do not use harmful dyes, that use eco-friendly methods of manufacture and that do not need dry cleaning.
Don’t forget, in urban India, we have two festivals almost back to back, for major gifting — Diwali and Christmas. So shops are usually stocked with an array of goods from October to December. So buy smart. If at Diwali you find something that looks more Christmassy, gift that to your friend. If at Christmas you find something that looks more ethnic Indian or Diwali-ish, or suitable for Eid, gift that to your friend. And in India, while Diwali and Christmas may be the major shopping festivals, there are so many communities and so many festivals during the year that people are usually glad to receive something in advance for the next festive season or a social function in the near future.
Personal grooming tools like, combs, brushes, make-up brushes and toothbrushes and daily use stationery items like pencils which have been crafted from sustainably grown natural woods or bamboo which are also biodegradable would be great to gift, considering that much of the regularly available stuff is plastic-intensive and thrown away after a few months.
If you’re a crafty lady or a DIY tech guy, then any decorative or utility item or unusual but useful gizmo, created, customized and handmade by you will be greatly appreciated by loved ones. All the better for you if you could make it using scrap or throwaway items.
For readymade decorative items and semiprecious or natural material jewelry, do support locally made artisanal products. India is a smorgasbord of regional crafts. So keep a look out for handicraft fairs that may come to your locality. These often bring together varied Indian regional home decor products under one roof. Buying objects to gift from these fairs helps support the indigenous crafts and livelihood of talented artisans from lesser known places.
Personally, I have rediscovered real silver filigree jewelry pieces at very reasonable prices at one such handicraft fair that comes to Mumbai. This type of jewelry used to be available at some silversmith shops in Mumbai, but not anymore. On talking to the salesperson at the handicraft stall, I came to know that this is an intricate and labor-intensive skill which uses only silver (and no gemstones) to beautiful effect. This is a specialty of the state of Odisha. Sadly and ironically this style of jewelry seems to be eclipsed by the more expensive gemstone studded jewelry, on display in regular shops.
It’s a similar situation for Warli tribal artists. My family lives and works on a farm close to Mumbai and so we have Warli adivasis as our immediate neighbors, but there is no center close to our farm which stocks Warli handicrafts. To access these sustainably produced artifacts, I have to visit a handicraft bazaar in Mumbai. At one such fair I came across hollowed-out eggs, handpainted with Warli motifs. And they were unusual, indigenous and but perfect to gift as decorative Easter eggs!
So it’s worth your while patronizing these handicraft bazaars, for they can be a treasure trove of gifts you can give that have ‘glocal’ appeal and they are also a lifeline for traditional artisans to sell their wares to a larger audience.
When it comes to the size of your gift, Less is more — don’t worry if your gift is small or looks small. Recipients can sometimes feel happy but overwhelmed if your gift looks too big or is too expensive, if they are not in a position to gift you something as generous when it’s their turn. This could be a tricky situation to navigate for the giver if it’s perceived that he /she is materially better off. But think of it this way; chances are that a smaller gift may (though not always) leave behind a smaller carbon footprint, in its manufacture trail. So better to be a responsible gift giver than an overly generous one.
Related to gift giving are two other practices -gift wrapping and return gifting- which need a rethink.
Is it really necessary to completely smother a gift in wrapping paper, and sometimes layers of it? Die-hard gift wrapping fans and those with a flair for making bubble bows and gift tags will be aghast that I'm actually asking this question. Yes, unwrapping your way through to the actual gift inside does momentarily enhance the joy of receiving the gift. And that's precisely the point. For a few more moments of joyful suspense, is it worth going to all the trouble of elaborate wrapping, when you know that, that will ultimately be thrown away, only to increase the already horrendous volume of litter on our planet? So I have swapped that glitzy metallic foil paper for alternatives like fabric, handmade paper, old newspaper or just plain old matt finish brown paper. Also, I use these to completely wrap a gift, only if the gift item involves multiple parts that do not come with their own protective box or packet. If the gift is one piece and unbreakable, but without a protective box or packet, then I just use two broad fabric ribbons or strips, one across the length and one across the width of the gift, intertwining them while tying ,to hold it securely. I pin or staple the tag onto the ribbon. This drastically reduces the amount of gift wrapping paper you use, at the same time the broad ribbon and careful positioning of the tag, partially conceal the gift, thus still providing the giftee with some joy while opening the gift.
As for the concept of return gifting — at the risk of being called a Scrooge- I think this custom should be stopped. Domestically at the very least. Those in favor of the trend say that it conveys a feeling of gratitude from the host to the invitee and a memory of the event for the invitee. But in this age of selfies and Instagram, do you as an invitee, really need a take-home souvenir, which may or may not fit in with your own home decor or which may just have a secondary or superficial use? Also if you’ve been invited to a party or wedding, your host has already provided you with an expensive meal and entertainment, and you as the invitee have graced it with your presence and also a present or presents. A two-way socio-economic transaction has just taken place, the social part being more important than the economic. And that's all that should matter!
The Wise Men knew what mattered. They had found the truth. And that’s all that mattered. Still, pause and think again about what they gave — gold, an ancient precious metal; frankincense, an expensive aromatic resin; myrrh, a healing medicinal plant extract. These offered respectively something to treasure for life, a soothing sensory experience, and a useful healing product. All attributes one looks for when deciding what to gift,even today. At that point in time, the Wise Men may not have needed to worry about their actions -be it their choice of gift or their mode of travel to deliver those gifts- leaving behind a destructive carbon footprint.
Then again there is a well-known joke that says if there were Wise Women instead, they would have brought hand-sewn quilts, a home cooked meal casseroles & wine or soup. Which would have been undoubtedly in those times sustainably produced. And what’s more, their gifts would have symbolized the best gift giving attribute of all — giving of your time and service to another.
So if you want to gift like a ‘Wise Man’ — do so but be ecologically sensitive and responsible and try to ensure that the finished product of your gift leaves behind as little of a carbon footprint as possible. And if you want to gift like a ‘Wise Woman’ — do that too. Our modern world rent apart by terrorism, refugee crises and climate change could do with some more goodwill.
