Curb Your Consumerism

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'Tis the season for giving and spending. Instead of pushing through throngs of shoppers stuffing carts with the season's must-have items, consider your alternatives: giving homemade gifts, donating funds to charity, or not spending at all. Regardless of your preference or the state of your pocketbook, here are some solutions to make this gift-giving season merry, bright, and green.

Gift Guides
Of the holiday gift guides available, TreeHugger offers a comprehensive collection of ideas sure to solve any shopping snafu. The guide is divided into useful sections, like those for moms-to-be or green thumbs, as well as categories such as household goods, online retailers, and shopping malls. Below each pictured grouping is a convenient set of lettered descriptors. Choose from recycled glass ornaments, natural beeswax Hanukkah candles, a garden-in-a-bag, and more. Current print issues of Plenty and The Green Guide also offer helpful gifting resources.

Charitable Donations
Plenty of your favorite organizations can put a donation made in a loved one's name to good use. Check out 'Giving Till it Helps' -- a primer on charitable giving that Utne Reader recently culled from WorldChanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century -- for some great ideas on how to make small donations make a big difference. For those as worried about receiving as giving, take a cue from Heifer International and create your own gift registry so friends and family can donate to a cause instead of giving you yet another scarf you won't wear.

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