If you don’t already follow the Crunk Feminist Collective, you should! I’ve just started my holiday baking (check out my guest post over at Crazy Quilts) so I especially appreciated this recent post on feminist gift-giving practices:
This holiday I would like to actively engage in a more feminist practice of gift giving. I want to give presents that affect the people I love the way these presents have affected me. I don’t want to just give presents: I want to give lasting memories. Also, the less people I oppress, the better.
Some ideas I came up with:
- Support local craft fairs and purchase hand made items by local [women] artists
- Print one of your favorite photographs in black & white and frame it
- A CD of all of the top ten songs on the radio the year your loved one was born
- Spread the feminist love by giving a young adult a book written by a woman of color feminist author
- Make a book of coupons with redeemable actions: hugs, chores, homemade dinners, back rubs, quickies, etc.
- Compile a cookbook of your families’ most cherished recipes and include a brief bio of every cook
- Make a homemade calendar full of your favorite family photographs that highlights all the birthdays
- Seeds, pots, and soil so that they can plant their favorite flowers or start their own vegetable garden
- For the new parents: children’s books that feature people of color
- Dance classes
- An autographed copy of your loved ones favorite book
- Write their autobiography
- Interview family members and ask them to share their favorite holiday memories, make a compilation and give everyone a copy
- Make jars full of dry (organic) ingredients of their favorite cookies
These are all excellent ideas for quality gifts. I have been giving my family homemade calenders made at Staples for years, because they love them so much, they are disappointed if I give them anything else. It’s quality not quantity or cost that counts!
I couldn’t agree more, Natalie. The great thing about making gifts with photos is that over time you compile a sort of archive of your family’s history…
LOVE these gift ideas! I might add to the list to make them something, such as knitting a sweater or scarf of etc.