Redefine the holidays.

I opened Monday's New York Times and found the following full-page ad:

Let's redefine Christmas. By putting more Thanksgiving in it.
No sooner does Thanksgiving end, than the loathsome shopping season begins - a month-long compulsion to by something, anything, for everyone. We're pressed. We're stressed. And our money is wasted. But we can change all that by focusing on the giving. And redefining Christmas.
Give people donations to their favorite charities.
And request that they give donations to your favorite charities.
A lot more money would go to people who need it. Shopping would be easier and tax-deductible. And our giving would be more in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

The Dalio Family Foundation, which paid for the ad and accepts no donations from the public, ends by saying "The sole purposed of this message is to facilitate charitable giving. Please pass it on." So that's what I'm doing. Consider it: Less hassle. More good. Less taxes. It's win-win.

So this year, instead of or in addition to materials gifts, try giving and requesting charitable gifts. They are gifts that keep on giving. Happy Thanksgiving!

"History is a vast early warning system." - Norman Cousins