collapse

* Recent Posts

"Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 01:09:34 am]


Re: Cill Shift Schedule by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:04:57 pm]


Re: Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 11:21:37 pm]


Re: Spring Has Sprung! 2024 Edition by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 10:24:10 pm]


Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by Altair
[March 21, 2024, 02:52:34 pm]

Author Topic: Alternative gifts  (Read 2056 times)

goblin-queen

  • Sr. Apprentice
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2014
  • Posts: 79
  • Country: gb
  • Total likes: 19
    • View Profile
  • Religion: A hodge-podge
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Alternative gifts
« on: November 15, 2018, 04:52:46 pm »
Evening all,

I was flicking through a magazine just now and I came across an advert for the Woodland Trust's Christmas presents. One of which is woodland adoption, which got me thinking about alternative gifts for various celebrations.

I think animal/woodland adoption is a great gift for nature lovers. As you can dedicate woodland to those who have passed it could be a great way to venerate your ancestors as well as nature deities.

Animal adoption or donation to animal charities could also be a great way to honour a deity you work with. Again, it makes a lovely gift for both adults and children. By choosing to adopt an animal that is sacred to that deity it could be a great way to bond with them. Donating to shelters or sponsoring children is another way that we can both practically help others and honour a related deity. Win-win.  ;D

These thoughts have been buzzing around in my head for quite some time and I only got up the courage to post it when I saw the 'All Talk No Action' thread.

I don't want to sound sanctimonious or preachy. Gods know, I fall short on such actions. It's all well and good burning incense and offering prayers to my Forest Spirit. But I feel them looking down at me with crossed arms thinking 'you can do more, y'know'.

And they're totally right. I just need to get off my holier-than-thou backside and bloody do it.
“...talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.”

Eastling

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Location: Seattle
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 698
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 609
  • Love and be free.
    • View Profile
    • Mystermercury
  • Religion: Modern Dionysian hero cultus and heretical Judaism
  • Preferred Pronouns: He/him/his
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2018, 12:29:05 am »
Evening all,

I was flicking through a magazine just now and I came across an advert for the Woodland Trust's Christmas presents. One of which is woodland adoption, which got me thinking about alternative gifts for various celebrations.

One idea that comes to mind is buying merchandise from nature-based charities and environmental public works organizations as a socially conscious gift. (A quick search on my end turned up the organization that maintains a rooftop vegetable garden in Seattle's Pike Place Market; they sell t-shirts and books.)
"The peacock can show its whole tail at once, but I can only tell you a story."
--JAMES ALAN GARDNER

goblin-queen

  • Sr. Apprentice
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2014
  • Posts: 79
  • Country: gb
  • Total likes: 19
    • View Profile
  • Religion: A hodge-podge
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2018, 03:22:16 pm »
One idea that comes to mind is buying merchandise from nature-based charities and environmental public works organizations as a socially conscious gift. (A quick search on my end turned up the organization that maintains a rooftop vegetable garden in Seattle's Pike Place Market; they sell t-shirts and books.)

That's a great idea. :) Another one that springs to mind is supporting smaller companies on Instagram. There's a lot of socially conscious companies there who actually support causes as opposed to just paying lip-service to make a profit. *ahem* I'm looking at you H&M.   
“...talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.”

PerditaPickle

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2015
  • Location: UK
  • Posts: 2104
  • Country: england
  • Total likes: 641
  • It's all metta - at least, I believe it should be
    • View Profile
    • Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity
  • Religion: Druid-ish
  • Preferred Pronouns: She/her/hers
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2018, 05:27:03 am »
I was flicking through a magazine just now and I came across an advert for the Woodland Trust's Christmas presents. One of which is woodland adoption, which got me thinking about alternative gifts for various celebrations.

I think animal/woodland adoption is a great gift for nature lovers. As you can dedicate woodland to those who have passed it could be a great way to venerate your ancestors as well as nature deities.

See, I've often considered the idea of adopting an endangered animal, or a rescued animal, through one of these charities as a gift for someone, but I can't go through with it as I could only afford a one year adoption.  What happens at the end of the one year?  The animal charity ceases to have the funding from my adoption, and the person I adopted it for (if they're anything like me) may very likely feel guilt or an obligation to go on paying the charity (though it may not be something they can strictly afford).

But woodland adoption for someone who is a nature lover is a great idea, or as you say in honour of those who have passed.  I didn't know this existed.  Thanks for sharing!

[Edit: corrected a typo]
“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.” – The Buddha
(From the Metta Sutta)

My Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity blog

LaughingCrow

  • Sr. Newbie
  • **
  • Join Date: Dec 2018
  • Location: Charleston, WV
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 5
    • View Profile
    • Laughing Crow's Art
  • Religion: Neopagan
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2018, 07:24:59 am »



I don't want to sound sanctimonious or preachy. Gods know, I fall short on such actions. It's all well and good burning incense and offering prayers to my Forest Spirit. But I feel them looking down at me with crossed arms thinking 'you can do more, y'know'.

And they're totally right. I just need to get off my holier-than-thou backside and bloody do it.

This really resonated with me, thank you for sharing. I know what I'm doing when I get paid. At my gym they have bins to donate people food, animal food, and warm winter clothes. I was planning to already, but since the first two are there year round I feel I should make it a regular thing all year.


Sent from my LG-LS777 using Tapatalk


goblin-queen

  • Sr. Apprentice
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2014
  • Posts: 79
  • Country: gb
  • Total likes: 19
    • View Profile
  • Religion: A hodge-podge
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2018, 06:50:38 am »
Evening all

I'm so glad that my original post didn't come off as preachy and that it resonated with people.  :)

There's so many gift giving alternatives out there. There's charities that buy livestock for developing countries, you can pay for bales of hay for animal sanctuaries, you can give a one-off donation to a local charity. The best part is it can be practiced all year round. At Samhain you can donate to local charities that look after cemeteries. The Harvest festivals are also a great time to share the wealth- whatever form that might take.

You can probably tell I'm very passionate about this!  ;D'
“...talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.”

Donal2018

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2018
  • Location: New York
  • Posts: 513
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 96
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Universalist
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2018, 11:00:09 pm »
I'm so glad that my original post didn't come off as preachy and that it resonated with people.  :)

There's so many gift giving alternatives out there. There's charities that buy livestock for developing countries, you can pay for bales of hay for animal sanctuaries, you can give a one-off donation to a local charity. The best part is it can be practiced all year round. At Samhain you can donate to local charities that look after cemeteries. The Harvest festivals are also a great time to share the wealth- whatever form that might take.

You can probably tell I'm very passionate about this!  ;D'

This is a really good idea and I am glad that you are posting about it. I have been thinking for a while about planting a tree on the grounds of my Mom's Alma Mater in memory of her. This thread reminded me of that. I also like the idea that these sort of alternative gifts can be done year round on Imbolc or Samhain, for example. A good way to commemorate the wheel of the year in a uniquely pagan way. Good thinking.

LaughingCrow

  • Sr. Newbie
  • **
  • Join Date: Dec 2018
  • Location: Charleston, WV
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 5
    • View Profile
    • Laughing Crow's Art
  • Religion: Neopagan
Re: Alternative gifts
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2018, 11:01:16 pm »
This is a really good idea and I am glad that you are posting about it. I have been thinking for a while about planting a tree on the grounds of my Mom's Alma Mater in memory of her. This thread reminded me of that. I also like the idea that these sort of alternative gifts can be done year round on Imbolc or Samhain, for example. A good way to commemorate the wheel of the year in a uniquely pagan way. Good thinking.
Things like food bank donations could be every esbat too

Sent from my LG-LS777 using Tapatalk


Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
10 Replies
3722 Views
Last post July 08, 2011, 12:16:18 pm
by rocquelaire
37 Replies
7419 Views
Last post April 05, 2012, 02:55:58 am
by R03e
21 Replies
4577 Views
Last post September 18, 2011, 07:27:21 am
by SunflowerP
28 Replies
6405 Views
Last post October 29, 2018, 05:47:20 pm
by SunflowerP
6 Replies
3481 Views
Last post January 29, 2017, 09:13:06 am
by PerditaPickle

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 183
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 0

There aren't any users online.

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal