holiday gift guides

It’s December, and that means we’re fast approaching peak “buying stuff for people” time. I’ve spent the last few days doing just that, knocking off the present buying for the family for the year. (I don’t have it in me to wait very long to get the present purchasing out of the way. Knowing that it’s there waiting to be done is just way too disturbing.) Of course, the problem with presents is that sometimes you end up buying something in the heat of the moment that, in hindsight, wasn’t really worth it. Presents that see use for a few

As I’ve been thinking over my latest decluttering efforts, I’ve also been reflecting back on the whole practice of gift-giving. Specifically, the tradition that birthdays and Christmas are celebrated with gifts, and that you have to give a “really cool gift” to ensure the birthday and Christmas is successful. I’m not against giving gifts at all, but I’m thinking I’m becoming more and more against giving something just to have given something. Each year, people ask me what I want for my birthday and Christmas. Each year, I ask people what they want for their birthday and Christmas. And a