’tis the season, blah blah……. welcome to customer heaven/ hell. So you may be asking, how on earth are you coping with Xmas pressies? Or, if you are a friend/ relative who usually get gifts, you may be slightly concerned what horrors await you.
Have I bought anything new? I would have to say ‘yes’ – BUT I have stuck to fairtrade or blooming ethical. For example, my mum (who doesn’t read the blog) is getting the same wind up radio she got me for my birthday, as she asked me for one. Wrapping paper is handmade Tradcraft paper, and my a friend is getting fairtrade, handmade draw thingys (nice, honestly). Everyone else is getting second hand, good quality eBay purchases, or charity schemed stuff (Dad, you are helping set up a coffee co-op and Granny, you have 4 acres of soil association farm land!).
Has it been difficult? No, but planning helps and a certain amount of flexibility. Also hoping friends are good friends, and don’t mind slightly battered copies of DVDs. But surely they wouldn’t be good friends if they didn’t forgive me? So generally its all going OK.
In fact, I am becoming a real fan of fairtraded stuff. The selection and quality has seriously moved on (less comedy chickens made out of recycled oil drums) and more beauty and practicality. The jewelry is wonderful and successfully competes with the high street in price and style. I guess working for Kent and the Wider World/ Commonwork has a lot to do with this new love.
- Tammy
