Article: How to Stick With Minimalism During the Holiday Shopping Season

[Ultralight]

Worth a read! http://money.usnews.com/money/the-fr...hopping-season

[kib]

I'm going out on a curmudgeonly limb here to say that I'm tired of these articles that promote togetherness for the holidays, conveniently overlooking the fact that soooo many people have family halfway across the country, and traveling to them for Christmas would be the ultimate nightmare. Of Course I'd be together with family if that were the easy solution to a frugal and stuff-reduced Christmas!

At least in this family of two, the big issue is the distance. We can't be there, so we send stuff. If we were there, we'd have other options that might still meet expectations for celebrating, but like hundreds of millions of other people, we aren't. We do our best to give experiences and keep the spending down, but enough already with the Kumbaya Solution.

... climbs off soap box, scratches behind, wanders offstage.

[Ultralight]

I'm going out on a curmudgeonly limb here to say that I'm tired of these articles that promote togetherness for the holidays, conveniently overlooking the fact that soooo many people have family halfway across the country, and traveling to them for Christmas would be the ultimate nightmare. Of Course I'd be together with family if that were the easy solution to a frugal and stuff-reduced Christmas!

At least in this family of two, the big issue is the distance. We can't be there, so we send stuff. If we were there, we'd have other options that might still meet expectations for celebrating, but like hundreds of millions of other people, we aren't. We do our best to give experiences and keep the spending down, but enough already with the Kumbaya Solution.

... climbs off soap box, scratches behind, wanders offstage.

This made me lol. I am sorry though, to hear you are so far from your loved ones.

[Zoe Girl]

At least in this family of two, the big issue is the distance. We can't be there, so we send stuff. If we were there, we'd have other options that might still meet expectations for celebrating, but like hundreds of millions of other people, we aren't. We do our best to give experiences and keep the spending down, but enough already with the Kumbaya Solution.

... climbs off soap box, scratches behind, wanders offstage.

Haha, yeah. If I was closer to my family it might not be too Kumbaya ya know. I send things and they send things and it is lovely, and there is very little chance we will get into the murky waters that are family political and personal differences.

[JaneV2.0]

I like to buy myself something I actually want, buy friends things that I hope they want, and enjoy good food and companionship this time of year. I doubt anyone I know would want a hypothetical goat or a zip-lining "adventure."

[freshstart]

I like to buy myself something I actually want, buy friends things that I hope they want, and enjoy good food and companionship this time of year. I doubt anyone I know would want a hypothetical goat or a zip-lining "adventure."

my mother is all about the goat and worked her way up to getting a cow some years and she really is happy with that. I still give her something small to open but it's a thoughtful gift that I try to match up to her unique taste. My brother named a star after her once, she thought that was the stupidest thing ever and wanted the cow.

[JaneV2.0]

[QUOTE=freshstart;222386]my mother is all about the goat and worked her way up to getting a cow some years and she really is happy with that. I still give her something small to open but it's a thoughtful gift that I try to match up to her unique taste. My brother named a star after her once, she thought that was the stupidest thing ever and wanted the cow.[/QUOTEhttp://www.simplelivingforum.net/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=222386]

I think paying attention to what the person admires, enjoys, needs, or wants is the critical element. I wouldn't mind a goat particularly...But I'd rather have someone sponsor a cat at Cat House on the Kings for me.

[kib]

If it's a choice between a Fitbit and a hypothetical goat, I'll take the goat, thanks. I enjoy the in-person celebrating, but it's not possible with distant family (truth be told, as Zoe points out it might not be possible if they lived next door, there's more than one kind of "distance" going on with this issue, but it's even less likely with them 3000 miles away). My grouse came about because this is the third or fourth article I've read that seems to have a smug attitude promoting a simplistic solution to a multifacted issue.

[JaneV2.0]

If it's a choice between a Fitbit and a hypothetical goat, I'll take the goat, thanks. I enjoy the in-person celebrating, but it's not possible with distant family (truth be told, as Zoe points out it might not be possible if they lived next door, but it's even less likely with them 3000 miles away). My grouse came about because this is the third or fourth article I've read that seems to have a smug attitude promoting a simplistic solution to a multifacted issue.

A smug attitude seems to come with the territory of simple living (and most other elitist lifestyle choices). I tend to avoid these kinds of patronizing articles as a matter of course and just soldier on with my life.

"Philanthropic gifting can serve as a gateway to help family and friends understand minimalism..." Oh, please.

[Ultralight]

A smug attitude seems to come with the territory of simple living (and most other elitist lifestyle choices). I tend to avoid these kinds of patronizing articles as a matter of course and just soldier on with my life.

"Philanthropic gifting can serve as a gateway to help family and friends understand minimalism..." Oh, please.

Can you expand?

I don't think simple living is elitist at all. Simple living is a "meta-lifestyle."