A gift that shows I'm not alone

[Stonehead]

A very big thankyou to Merry who kindly sent me a bundle of Resurgence magazines.

The gift was more important that she realised as the very first article I read was an editorial that accorded with the rants I bash out on my blog and with one in particular.

While I know I'm not alone in thinking (and saying) the way I do about global warming and consumerism, especially when I come here, it's brilliant to find an editorial in a major ecological magazine that is so much in accord with your own voice. So I feel very chuffed!

Have to be very brief as I'm trying to get a lot done at the moment and the Wee 'Un has to get changed from muddy clothes to playgroup clothes, so if you want to know more read This voice is not alone.

And another big thankyou to merry and a multitude of virtual hugs are winging their way to you.

[Andy Hamilton]

An excellent article indeed. - For christmas I always return back to my hope town and meet up with family and friends. For me it is more about this than actually getting any presents.

Trying to change our (western) civilasation to one that it is less consumer driven is not something that is going to happen overnight. - It does need to be the ethos of this site has always been from a very similar viewpoint. Why buy it when you can grow/make it. However, my eyes have been opened a little more by this perhaps a shift towards - why buy it at all, do you really need it - should also be incorperated.

I always get one or two presents that are simply useless and bought out of some strange tradition that even though I am 32 I still have to have presents off people I have not seen in years. I don't mean to sound ungreatful but I can only come across that was I supose. Maybe I should make a point of talking to these friends and relatives and asking them to donate the money they would have spent on a wallace and gromit soap dish to charity, the trouble is I am Bristish and thus crippled by some sort of strange polite code. - Mind you I am also a bit Irish so I will use that side to overcome this.

And stoney - if you can get your hands on any of the Australian magazine grass roots they are well worth a read too.

[Shirley]

An excellent article indeed. - For christmas I always return back to my hope town and meet up with family and friends. For me it is more about this than actually getting any presents.

Hope town!! :)

I get the Resurgence magazine on subscription too - well at least I do until the subs run out early next year.

[Andy Hamilton]

oops, you can hardly call Northampton a hope town either quite the opposite.

[Muddypause]

I'm in two minds about Resurgence. It's a brilliantly produced publication, that is a pleasure simply to hold, and the photography and illustrations in it are always first class.

I've subscribed to it on and off, and have often seen it around, but on the whole it just seems just a little too ostentatiously worthy for my tastes. A little too didactic, with a tendency to lecture rather than reflect. You'll never read much irony, or a bit of witty self deprecation in it (are we all really that humourless?); no one ever seems capable of doubt. John Moat's column was a blessed relief in these terms, but I think he may have stopped writing it lately. I think my main problem is with certain issues concerning Satish Kumar, the editor's over-arching philosophy, but here may not be the time or place.

[Stonehead]

I'm in two minds about Resurgence. It's a brilliantly produced publication, that is a pleasure simply to hold, and the photography and illustrations in it are always first class.

I've subscribed to it on and off, and have often seen it around, but on the whole it just seems just a little too ostentatiously worthy for my tastes. A little too didactic, with a tendency to lecture rather than reflect. You'll never read much irony, or a bit of witty self deprecation in it (are we all really that humourless?); no one ever seems capable of doubt. John Moat's column was a blessed relief in these terms, but I think he may have stopped writing it lately. I think my main problem is with certain issues concerning Satish Kumar, the editor's over-arching philosophy, but here may not be the time or place.

There's always the time and the place. :)

It is worthy, no doubt about it. But when most of the stuff you read is practical and pragmatic (as we do), the the worthy stuff makes for a more reflective contrast.

As for humour, we have more than enough things to laugh about here than to need to find it elsewhere.

[red]

I always get one or two presents that are simply useless and bought out of some strange tradition that even though I am 32 I still have to have presents off people I have not seen in years. I don't mean to sound ungreatful but I can only come across that was I supose. Maybe I should make a point of talking to these friends and relatives and asking them to donate the money they would have spent on a wallace and gromit soap dish to charity, the trouble is I am Bristish and thus crippled by some sort of strange polite code. - Mind you I am also a bit Irish so I will use that side to overcome this.
.

when my son was born, That Christmas I asked friends and family if we could make presents just for the kids. My reasons were based on my own new found skintness (not working having just had a baby!) but it was greated well as the family was getting larger and the Christmas expense larger still.
perhaps its time you made this agreement with your family.

after a few years, we adapted it , and make homemade things - but *only if we feel like it* so its all round great. I can enjoy making a jar of jam look really nice, and wrapping it, and its fun to unwrap bit and bobs from others; all with no huge expense no pressure.
OH always ends up in a secret santa thingy at work, and last year made it known which charity was his favourite, and thats what he got.. a donation on his behalf to that charity.

there are ways

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

That is what we do with my husband'family, we buy for the nieces not the parents as kids are easy to buy for, mr mother in law always asks what I want and I always feel guilty saying I want this or that but this year I am going to request a log maker, I need, I will use it and at the moment Ican't afford it so it will be perfect !

[chadspad]

The shops in France dont cater as much for xmas as the UK and present finding is more difficult (fortunately!). This year I shall be giving mostly homemade prezzies, something I would have laughed at in the UK. I have been experimenting with biscuit making - my gingerbread men & butter biscuits are pretty amazing, so they will be given along with homemade sweets (coconut ice, turkish delight, peppermint creams), bottles of chilli oil and bottles of elderflower wine. Surely they will be found far nicer than shop bought gifts?

[zombiecazz]

Surely they will be found far nicer than shop bought gifts?

Well that's what I'm hoping. So far I have made various chutneys, jellys and Jams. I have some plum and kumquat liqueur. Some home made wine.
Last night I painted a couple of cheap T-shirts.
I've made a crocheted bag, Some runes for divination and I hoping to make some necklaces.
Planning to make some papier mache boxes and a art set for my DD.
Just hope I manage to get this all done by Christmas.
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