Christmas Giving Fluff

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2005
Christmas Giving Fluff
1258
Tue, 12-21-2010 - 2:03pm

I was reading about the Kansas City Secret Santa today and thought how much fun that would be. It made me start thinking what I would do if I had 40k to spare. So here are some questions.

1. If you had unlimited amounts of money, what type of Random Acts of Kindness would you do? At Christmas or otherwise.

2.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:27pm
<<"i think if kids grow up used to something and that gets taken away you have some explaining to do.">>

I realize that this is just a quote in your post but....Oh wow...this was not what I was talking about at all. My kids aren't used to a certain way or even amount of giving to them at Christmas. Sure, my kids are used to giving and receiving gifts but not a certain amount or number of gifts. I do specifically limit what we give them because I don't think they need everything they wish and want for.

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I agree, the same is true for us.

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Yes, exactly.

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Again, well said.



iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:28pm
That sounds very similar to the kind of thing my mom gets me for Christmas. A couple years ago, she got us a food processor. A very nice, but practical, surprise.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:32pm
I'm not sure how we go from one less Christmas gift so that others can have one gift to "Traditions taken away from them". One less gift given isn't a tradition taken away, for me traditions are more about experiences than gifts.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2005
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:33pm

I love Dress for Success as well. We have a local organization that takes that a step further and provides not just clothing but housing, transportation, career services to women trying to get back on their feet.

I think most criticism stems from defensiveness. I would be very sad if I had to choose between giving my children a nice Christmas or giving to charity. Perhaps some people become defensive that their choice to give their children a nice Christmas does not leave them enough to be charitable. I can sympathize with that. It's unfortunate that the coping mechanism is to criticize other people's choice to give or method of giving or insinuate that they somehow deprive their children, but ultimately, the individual who criticizes in such a manner is hurting themselves more than they hurt anyone else. If you treat others that way, I can only imagine how you treat yourself.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:35pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:36pm
Correct me if I'm wrong here but if the charity receives the money sold for these used goods and/or rags, they have more money to run their charity and their services?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:36pm

My kids love books too but I think people need to realize it is a 3 yr. old child. This is probably his first "real" Christmas in understanding what he got.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:36pm
Agreed.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:37pm
But even if they sold the donations...the money received from those sales is going back into the charity. I don't see the problem, do you?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Thu, 12-23-2010 - 2:38pm

Good cause? For who? The private company who makes a profit? Where does that get YOU involved in donating?

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