Clear and Present Danger is my challenge to the dominant culture of gift-giving in Australia (and many other countries around the world). Fed up with with the culture around presents, particularly for kids birthdays, I’ve set myself a challenge to give more sustainable gifts in 2018.
It is the social norm to bring a present to every party your child attends. The result is that our kids get more gifts than they need, and often cheap plastic toys are quickly ending up in landfill. It’s up to all of us to challenge norms like this and create more sustainable ones for our planet’s future. I am sick of our culture’s messages that we must buy, buy, buy. Day’s like ‘Black Friday’ really are black days in the truest sense of the word.
At times this will be a socially awkward challenge – especially when one of my kids is invited to a birthday where I don’t know the parents… or at any of the numerous occassions where gift exchange is the norm (work colleagues at Christmas time, presents for the teachers….) but I’m determined to rise to the challenge!
Want to join in?
Here are the basic rules:
- Gift vouchers for toy stores or similar are “cheating” as it is just passing on the purchase to the end user
- Experiences rather than gifts (or vouchers for experiences) are great
- Second hand is great
- Home made is great
- New products that are sustainably made or add to a more sustainable world are another option
- Donations to charity are another great option
- A voucher for your own services – baby sitting, gardening etc. are ideas
- Avoid the dreaded plastic
Let’s challenge the culture of gift-giving – one present at a time 🙂
Clear and Present Danger 