I'm not buying much this holiday season. Hanukkah has already come-and-gone at our house, and we didn't give the kids that much, and my husband and I didn't give each other much, either. I'd like to say that's because we're very trendy, and we all know green is the way to go these days. But it's really just because our house is so full of stuff already it looks like one big junk-filled closet. So, no more stuff for us this holiday season.
But I did still go shopping for kids. Just not my kids. This year, I bought stuff for kids who not only need it, but might actually appreciate it. Whether it's books, toys, clothes, or something painfully practical, there's a lot of need out there. Just not in my house, and probably not at lot of your houses, either. I know my kids don't need another puzzle or stuffed animal, but someone else out there really does. This year I went shopping "Blueberry Sal" style - one gift for my family, two or three gifts for another family.
This holiday season I'm also making a donation to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC). They're out there making sure our kids get more out of their childhood then unhealthy food and brain-numbing "educational" TV. The people at the CCFC are the ones who made sure our kids don't have to look at Ronald McDonald on their report cards, or hold Sunny D parties in their classrooms, or listen to non-stop radio ads when they're on the school bus (Though it looks like more schools are about to get BusRadio - please help prevent this from happening!) And the folks at the CCFC manage to do all this, and they do not accept any corporate donations.
If you are also grateful for the efforts made on behalf of children by the CCFC, leave a comment of support for all they do below. I'll donate a dollar to the CCFC for every comment left here between now and Christmas (also known as Merry Zoo Day at our house).
You can also make a tax-deductible donation here, and through Dec. 31, 2010, all donations over $150 will be matched by an anonymous donor.
P.S. If you are looking for some ideas to celebrate the season with more joy and less consumption, check out the wonderful and useful CCFC Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS! Also wanted to update the above with information via CCFC - BusRadio has ceased operations! Yet another reason to be thankful for all CCFC does.
34 comments:
Well done on many counts!
We're happy to report that cracking under CCFC pressure, Bus Radio ceased operations last year, so we don't have to worry about schools signing up for their "services" anymore! Thanks so much for this -- we greatly appreciate the support!
The CCFC Guide to Commercial Free Holidays is worth a read!
Thanks for supporting this great cause!
very worthy cause, to be sure. Happy Holidays!
Keep up the good work!
nice job!
It does feel so much better to buy for kids who really need it, doesn't it? Much more gratifying I find! Many thanks to CCFC for all they do.
This is fantastic. Thank you for doing this! And thank you to CCFC for all of their hard work!
Thanks for your generousity. We are also paring way down for the holidays - spurred on not only by economics, but like you say - we already have enough stuff! Never mind that toys in the stores are all commercial tv and movie character-driven! My daughter has just as much fun wtih a ball and empty soda bottles for home made bowling! Happy Holidays!
This is a wonderful idea. Thank you for your generosity in supporting CCFC's work
Anna - what a wonderful idea. This is a great way to create discussion about an important topic. I hope it catches on and others take your lead. ~ Peace - Annie
Thanks very much for supporting CCFC. I have followed their efforts since shortly after my son was born (3 years). I am grateful for their accomplishments and your generosity.
Thanks for this post! We have been so inspired by CCFC - it's the one place we contribute money each year (usually as a "gift" to ourselves, knowing that they are out there fighting the good fight.) We celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas/Winter Solstice at our house, and while we did get the kids a few new gifts to put under the tree, we got mostly handmade gifts from etsy and A Toy Garden. For Hanukkah and Christmas/Solstice, we emphasized the ancient traditions of kindling lights as the sunlight fades and bringing in the green while everything goes into a deep winter sleep (of course, we also read things like "The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming" by Lemony Snicket).
Also, we did an advent calendar. Instead of gifts, we filled it with activities, inspired by two different blogs:
http://uncommongrace.typepad.com/uncommongrace/2007/11/celebrating-a-1.html
and
http://artfulparent.typepad.com/artfulparent/2010/11/a-christmas-tree-advent-calendar.html
We really wanted to start some meaningful holiday traditions without all of the consumption.
Thanks again!
Jennifer
http://peck-creech-clan.blogspot.com/
I absolutely adore this idea. I am childless, am not involved with children, and do not intend to have any, but I am absolutely aware of what is happening culturally to children, and therefore what will be our adult citizens and wholeheartedly support CCFCs work.
This is wonderful. I've long admired the work and contributions of CCFC - Reclaiming Childhood From Corporate Marketers. I spread the word far and wide. Their holiday guide is a great resource for families. This year they took on and took down Baby Einstein. The cheers from many of us working in early childcare could be heard from California to Boston. I often refer to CCFC as the "little organization whose roar could be heard around the (corporate) world.
WTG, CCFC.
This is such a wonderful organization. I attended their conference in Boston in April and use their great documentary with my college students. The influence of my learning with this group has really spread, through my students and their conversations with family and friends, the thought-out decisions they are making in their own lives and much more. Thank you!!
Wonderful! Great idea! Love all that Susan Linn and the CCFC have done.
Giving a gift that will really be appreciated to those more in need is what Christmas should be about. So much money is wasted on "stuff" that ends up collecting dust... I wonder how much could be done with the money wasted on gifts like this... I bet the amount would be astounding.
Excellent idea! We love CCFC and all they do!
:) Love CCFC!
What a wonderful idea.
Thank you for the post and for the support of CCFC. Every year I struggle with the commercialism of the holiday -- wanting my nephews to enjoy receiving gifts and also wanting them to be conscious about others who have less. . . and to be conscious consumers. . . so tricky. And such an important struggle to engage in.
Great idea! Can I recommend the book Consuming Innocence - Popular Culture and Our Children by Karen Brooks - it's a fascinating read.
Super idea! Parents - not advertisers - ought to have the last word, and activist parents are the path to that.
What a great idea and a terrific way to support CCFC! Their daily work has a profound impact and is making the world a better place for our children (and for us)!
Great idea, Anna!
Thats lovely, Anna, thanks for the inspiration. Here in Australia, everyone seems to celebrate differently to one another and its quite accepted that some people just go asway camping at X-mas and dont do the gift buying thing. Its so much more meaningful just spending time with one another than giving/recieving something we really dont need/want made by underpriveleged people in 3rd world countries who probably dont celebrate christian holidays. Alot of this packaging is unneccessary too as well as toxic to the Earth. Give a hug and share a meal this X-mas and if you have to do gifts, try the Secret Santa approach, just one gift each, names pulled out of a hat. :)
I too will be making my annual donation to CCFC. (full disclosure, am a member of their steering committee, but that's because they are so awesome.) Josh Golin, Susan Linn, and their recent addition, Shara Drew, are an amazing team that takes on powerful corporate interests. How they pull off the work of an army never ceases to amaze me.
Thanks for the great post and support of CCFC!
BusRadio? We've got to get budgets under control so schools (I'm a teacher) don't have to rely on advertising for funding.
Brian
www.tvstinks.wordpress.com
Brian - I'm happy to report that due largely (if not entirely) to CCFC's efforts, BusRadio is no more. One more reason to be thankful for CCFC!
I am just learning about this organization now, and definitely applaud what they are doing. I almost wish we could extend this beyond children to adults as well. I have actually written cartoons for Disney in the past, and I know of other TV writers who have been pressured into working product placement into storylines. Of course, there are reasons to explain this connected with society. Old style commercials just don't work anymore in the age of Tivo. Just look at how our blogs have been commercialized and social media is used to sell things to each other. It is cheaper than a commercial. Also, with everyone complaining about high taxes, and cities and states in debt, schools are sometimes forced to turn to the private sector for help. At that comes at a cost. McDonald's in the lunchroom. I don't like Coke sponsoring school events, but in some school districts they are the only ones willing to pay for things that richer districts can get on their own. Even PBS has to get oil companies to sponsor Masterpiece Theater.
But I totally agree that we should at least give our children a commercial free zone for a few years before the onslaught of media.
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