Thanks... but no thanks! (Thoughts on Avoiding Unnecessary Gifts)

Because the best gift anyone can give our children is a healthy planet for their generation and those that follow.

Topics: Cottage, decluttering, gifting, holidays, sustainability
Note: This is an updated version of an annual post from the cottage blog.

It’s the time of year… for unwanted and unnecessary gifts. 

With the planet groaning under the weight of ever-intensifying consumerism, households feeling relentless financial strain, and families grappling with an excess of clutter in their homes, it’s time we more widely accept and respect one’s decision to firmly avoid giving and receiving gifts. 

But how do we kindly tell a child’s relatives to stop sending toys? 

What do we do about well-intended friends who insist on giving “something”? 

What solutions are there for rehousing the unwanted gifts that inevitably make their way through the door, despite the recipients wishes?  

And what are some unique gifts that won’t further contribute to overflowing households, and — inevitably— landfills, which have a greater impact on disenfranchised and marginalized populations?*