Tell Me Tuesday: What are you giving this holiday season?

I have way too much stuff.  I blame my family, because I come from a long line of pack rats and über shoppers – genetic programming is very hard to fight.  Which means that most of the people I celebrate the holidays with also have too much stuff.
Since no one actually needs anything, I want to make sure I’m giving my friends and family something that’s fun and meaningful – not just more stuff.  Last year I gave them experiences – a course on Italian art, food and wine for my parents, and passes to a climbing facility for my sister and her boyfriend – which was fantastic.  But I have to say, I was really glad I also gave them WWF symbolic wildlife adoption kits – both because they’re adorable gifts that make a difference and because they helped make Christmas morning really fun (and drove the dogs totally nuts).

Stanley, another gift that keeps on giving, gets ready for his first Christmas. © Riannon John
Clearly, I’m not the only one who likes this approach: our Facebook friends are also planning to give experiences and to really make the most of their time with family.
I think it’s a plan I’ll try again this year, because I really like holiday celebrations to be about more than just stuff.  Now I just have to choose which animals to adopt…suggestions are welcome!