Blog Spot. Paul Frasca

GIVE THE GIFT OF GIVING THIS CHRISTMAS

Let’s wake up and face the music - we all have too much stuff. From cinnamonscented candles to reindeer mugs, haven’t we had enough of Christmas themed things? Let’s rethink what it means to give a gift this season.

Are you scratching your head, wondering what to give your loved ones this Christmas? It doesn’t matter how well we know someone; at some point, we just run out of ideas. Not only that, but the truth is also that most of us don’t need anything more for Christmas. Sure, there are exceptions, but Christmas is often an excuse for a tacky secret Santa gift from the two-dollar store or another itchy Christmas sweater. And let’s be honest, do we really need clothes that we only wear once a year? Doesn’t sound very sustainable to me.

More stuff than we know what to do with

I’ll let you in on a secret. My partner and I recently had a baby, and the amount of stuff we were gifted was simply overwhelming. Newborns definitely need things - a seemingly endless list of things - but no newborn on earth needs the number of clothes and toys we were gifted after the birth. With Christmas coming up, I’ve made a radical decision. No presents this year.

My mother has been protesting this rule, begging me to tell her what it is I want for Christmas. So, I told her. As everyone who knows me knows, the thing I love most is giving back. So, this year, I’m asking my friends and family to gift me the gift of giving.

Rather than spending their hard-earned money on another pair of fuzzy slippers that will die a sad and untimely death in my shoe cupboard, or Christmas-themed socks that the washing machine will conveniently eat, I want people to stop and think about how else they could utilise their money.

Giving back is about more than the feel-good factor

So many people around Australia go without, not just on Christmas but every day of the year. Children are living below the poverty line right here in Australia. Some seniors can’t make ends meet. There are animals badly injured by consecutive waves of bushfires and floods and sanctuaries struggling to fund their recovery.

This Christmas, I want to give back. Sustainable Salons. We run a lot of initiatives to help our colleagues, salon owners and clients give back to their communities. Just this year we: - Raised $1,785 for Steptember - Raised $11,000 for OzHarvest - Raised $5,500 for KiwiHarvest

As a hair salon owner, you might be wondering how you can participate in the giving season.

Here at Sustainable Salons, we encourage our employees to tell us what initiatives they want to take part in and support. So, for instance, we give them the broad criteria: it’s got to help people, it’s got to have a real purpose behind it, and it’s got to raise money for a good cause. And then they take that criteria and come up with ideas.

If you can’t implement something like this at your salon, how about a donations jar at the front counter? It’s simple, costs you nothing and lets you passively raise money for a good cause. Get your employees’ input into what they’d like to support.

Secret Santa done differently

Here’s an idea for your next Secret Santa: Pick names out of a hat, as usual. Agree on an $$ amount that is financially doable for everyone involved - ten or twenty dollars is plenty. Once everyone has selected a name out of the hat, their job is to go away and think about what kind of charity or cause the person they picked would want their donation to go to.

Your friend that loves AFL? How about a donation to an AFL club for kids in an underserved area? Does your dad love cooking? Donating meals for the homeless could be just the ticket. And your animal-obsessed coworker would probably love it if you donated to their local animal shelter in their name. and purpose to their gift this Christmas season.

Nobody has to go home with a glitter crazy, over the top scented bath bomb or a live laugh love coaster set. It’s win-win-win. A win for those in need, a win for you as you feel good about doing something for others, and a win for the planet as you avoid cluttering up your house with more Christmas themed items nobody needs.

I personally want my loved ones to ditch the matching Christmas jumpers and put that money towards something that makes me happy. Make a donation in my name (or better yet, in my baby’s), and help me give back to the community that I love.

So, ask yourself, how will you give back this Christmas? No matter how you celebrate or if you even celebrate at all, there’s a certain feeling in the air that is undeniable. Lean into the spirit of the holiday and gift the gift of giving.

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