The Gifts that Keep on Giving

People love receiving gifts. I love giving gifts. This makes a perfect combo. My friends know this about me. Nothing will put me in a better mood then knowing that I have found/made the PERF gift for someone. I buy gifts months in advance if it is the perfect gift for someone. As Kurt from Glee once said, "Makeovers are like crack to me." Just replace "makeovers" with "gift giving." (and then change the are to "is" because it's now singular). However, upon becoming a sociology major and realizing that I live in a consumer capitalist society that tends to hurt people because it's all about getting more and more STUFF, gift giving became a bit more of a burden (and usually said items that are being produced aren't keeping the human beings that are creating those products in mind and inevitably exploit the worker). I still wanted to give, but to give well with those people making the products I was consuming in mind. Basically, I wanted to be ethical in my purchases (or at least attempt to be). Anywho, I've found a few sights that are my favs to purchase "socially conscious gifts" from. I've since had people who have jumped on this bandwagon ask me what sites I use...so here they are!

www.tomsshoes.com (buy a pair, give a pair to a child in need--it's really win win!)

www.thehungersite.com (they donate cups of food to those in need. probably the most reasonably priced)

http://worldofgood.ebay.com/ (I haven't ordered from this one specifically, but a friend recommended it)

http://rosaloves.com (this one is super cool. Each shirt has a story, and they donate 60% of the proceeds of the shirt to that person that the story is about).

http://www.greenheartshop.org (eco friendly/fair trade stuff)

Or...you could get super creative and MAKE a gift. Write a poem! Paint a picture (you can even go to a thrift shop and buy a used canvas and recycle it...) Write/perform a song! Bake cookies! Go see Bon Jovi live in concert! The possibilities are endless! My friend Amanda is really good at crafting out of recycled stuff--just google and see what you find! Go and change the world by giving!!

If you are looking to give me a gift, I would like a bicycle or a puppy. Bicycle because I love riding and it is eco friendly. A puppy because I miss my dog and puppies are fun.