As the big day nears, Shane Gilchrist canvasses some creative and less commercial approaches to Christmas.
Christmas. It's a mind-set thing, according to Kuini Scott, who'd swap the shopping crowds for quiet conversations any day.
''I'd be a hypocrite to say I don't like stuff; I love presents, especially ones I know the giver has loved, or the things they've giggled over or created with me in mind. But I love doing things together so much more.''
Abiding by the rule of inclusiveness (the key tenet of which is ''everyone's silly'') might just lead to a few less obvious Christmas tangents, Kuini believes.
''There are no rules: the goal is to fit the celebration to the people.
''It opens the door to our needs for spirituality and grace, too. For example, pausing together under the local glow-worm waterfall mid-Christmas treasure-hunt creates a moment of wonder.
''Christmas in the hills, tramping with little gifts, having something nice to eat and a lovely swim in a tarn ... you realise how little it takes for pleasure.''
Kuini recalls a favourite Christmas Day involved a session of ''pass the parcel'' that took an entire morning.
''I have seldom laughed so much. Each time the parcel was passed someone picked a carol or song we had to sing together. Some layers involved treasure hunts, an action like reading a picture book or favourite poem; some involved actual presents.
''The key is everyone takes part. That's the crunch - the buy-in from everyone to play the game.
''We've discovered non-commercial Christmas days can be really happy and liberating. Suddenly, your whanau can choose to do anything, to have fun and be playful, to share it with whoever you like in whatever way you like. The rules disappear.''
That applies to food, too, Kuini says.
''Ask, `what do we like eating? What's the special part of eating together?'. When the kids were young they could each pick their dinner. One's was a piece of salmon, another a can of baked beans with little sausages! Mine's a nice salad with capers and feta. Why force everyone to eat the same expensive dinner?''
However, Kuini says a less obvious approach to Christmas does come with a few caveats:''It can be hard sharing Christmas with family members who may feel obliged to buy extra presents for your kids so they won't feel left out when the cousins are unwrapping theirs. Sometimes our gifts don't fit the general pattern: preserves or homemade vouchers to stay on an island may not be appreciated.
''One exhausting trap can be the `alternative but same' gifting. It's lovely, but it's not freeing. I've sewn pixie hats, made every card, albums of old family photos, knitted, baked mini-cakes and filled packages with lots of quirky items wrapped in home-made paper.
''There are so many wonderful, beautiful things we can make from what is around us, but you do need time. And it's not cheap if you're posting stuff.''
DOWNSIZE THE DEBT ...
Avoid that last-minute shopping frenzy and your bank balance could well appear a little rosier.
Andrew Henderson, assistant manager of Dunedin Budget Advisory Service, says the best time to start budgeting for Christmas is January, but ''often we only start talking about it now''.
''It is a time of year when a lot of parents come under pressure to try to make Christmas special ... they often turn to easy lending, which causes more problems. We try to educate parents that it's not worth bowing to pressure from their children. It's not good to get into debt in order to keep up with the Joneses.''
A couple of weeks ago, the Dunedin Budget Advisory Service was involved in The Big Value Christmas event, organised by Lending Matters, a collaboration of community groups, individuals and credit providers concerned about Dunedin residents getting into unsustainable debt.
''We organised a Christmas swap where children could bring along a pre-loved toy and choose a another pre-loved toy. The idea was they write a wee story about the toy and why it was so loved.''
And it's not too late to adopt such an approach within a family or extended family or friends, he suggests, adding another idea is for children to make up a ''chore cheque book'' or a ''pledge book'' of ideas (e.g., mowing the lawns, washing the dishes).
''Christmas is more about who you are with and where you are, as opposed to stuff. It's about having a fun family time, as opposed to a stressful time. There is just so much expectation and pressure.''
FEELING LUCKY?
Kay McKenzie Cooke's family might be getting larger, yet she has found a way to shrink the stress.
''When our sons were small, my husband's side of the family decided that for the extended family's Christmas presents, each family would buy and receive one present each at an agreed and reasonable price. This worked very well for many years.
''However, more recently, the presents under the tree have been a `lucky dip'. Everyone buys one [usually funny] gift for under $10 and wraps it, unnamed. If someone doesn't like the present they've chosen, and fancies someone else's, they have one chance to arrange a swap, or to simply carry out a swift and daring raid to grab someone else's present, leaving theirs in its place.''
Now that Kay's children have grown up and have their own partners and families, they have decided to diminish the stress - and cost - and buy one present per family from a ''Secret Santa'' list.
''These days it is computer-generated and conducted online; particularly useful with family members overseas.
''And this year we have also put another spin on it, by deciding that we will all make the presents rather than buy them.
''We used to do this when our kids were younger. Presents become far more meaningful when someone has taken the time and effort to make you something,'' Kay says, her recollection of previous gifts including hokey-pokey in a container, ''wonky'' laminated place-mats, personal poems printed on posters and painted jars that served as desk containers.
''Speaking personally - hopefully, without letting the cat out of the bag - this Christmas I've discovered creative recycling to be a fun way of making fun presents that suit the personalities of the people I am making them for. Another bonus is the gifts don't cost the earth and, in fact, could even be helping it.''
FILL YOUR BOOTS ...
Jenny Powell and husband Craig Cumming are focused solely on stocking up stockings this year.
They have only two rules: Firstly, the stockings must contain fun items; secondly, the contents of the stocking must not exceed an agreed level of expense.
This Christmas, that limit is $100, and that includes a third stocking, for their cocker spaniel.
''We know $20 will be spent on two bags of treats for him. He never wants toys. He's too attached to his old and earless Pooh Bear,'' Jenny explained.
''We're cogitating over the remaining sum. $40 each seems a bit much. It used to be $30. We'll see how it goes.''
Jenny prefers to shop earlier rather than later. Craig is a ''last-minute man''. Regardless of approach, they have managed to find ''wonderful surprises'' for each other in the past.
''Last year I found a holster, two guns, and a sheriff's badge in a $2 shop, ''Jenny said.
''I knew that Craig's best childhood present had been a twin holster with cowboy guns. We'd just revisited The Lone Ranger so the timing was right.
''Timing is important. Once, after a binge on Star Wars I bought light-sabres for both of us. Sometimes you have to buy two of something, especially if you want fake fights with sound effects and cool moves.
''My favourite stocking presents have been bubble mixture, a cardboard cricket man who can execute a forward defensive shot, my set of `Unbelievably Crazy Urban Myths', and my tin of lip balm with `The Hippopotamus of Extraordinary Grace' on the lid. I liked my light-up bouncy ball but I could never catch it.''
Jenny has a confession.
''The other day I saw something red sticking out of Craig's bag. I peeked. It's a red 3-D printer bracelet. I wish I hadn't looked. Sorry darl.''
GOING GREEN ...
Catherine Gledhill, the Dunedin City Council's waste minimisation officer, has always had a vegetable garden. So it makes sense to turn some of that produce into presents.
''Some years we like to gift from our own garden. In previous years we have made up vege boxes: new potatoes, mixed fancy lettuce, eggs from our free-range chickens and anything else that might be ready.
''I'd like to think people enjoy the gifts.''
A gift within a gift is a cool idea, too, she says, offering examples such as ''gardening tools and gloves inside a plant pot with the pot's water dish covering the top of the pot and kept in place with a ribbon and bow on top.''
Voila. No need for paper.
On that subject, remember to keep wrapping paper to reuse, Catherine urges, adding she uses a cool iron to smooth out the wrinkles on used wrapping paper.
She frequents the Rummage op-shop at Green Island Landfill, where many useful and interesting things have been diverted from the dumping site.
''I see things that make me think, `Oh, that'd be great','' Catherine says.
''Children's bikes, in particular, don't last long. They are expensive to buy and children grow out of them within a couple of years.''
In addition to regular bike shops offering repair services, she notes at least two Dunedin services (The Valley Community Workspace, Allen St, Northeast Valley; and The Crooked Spoke, Moray Pl) offer free (or very cheap) facilities at which bikes can be fixed.
WHINNY, THE POO ...
Jennie Upton, education and promotions officer for solid waste at the Dunedin City Council and the Enviroschools regional co-ordinator, suggests a humble donkey could be just the trick this Christmas.
The catch is, it's for someone overseas. But don't fret: you won't have to actually organise its safe passage. That's done by Oxfam as part of its ''Unwrapped'' programme.
''One year for a staff Christmas party, instead of everyone bringing a cheap gift I got everyone to put in $2 and I bought goats, ducks and chickens from Oxfam,'' Jennie says.
''I made jigsaw puzzles out of pictures resembling each gift and the staff had to create the puzzles to find out what the present [they were sending] was.''
As per the proverb, ''give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'', such purchases go beyond the present. For example, that donkey ($150) is a valuable source of compost.
Likewise, should you purchase a pair of chickens ($15 for two), you'll help families learn how to care for the fowl as well as other farming methods, and Oxfam provides market-awareness training so families can make the most of their birds.
Other agencies offer similar schemes.
• PIMP IT
The Valley Community Workspace, 11 Allen St, Northeast Valley, is holding a ''Personalised Pedals'' open day today from 10.30am-1.30pm.
Need a kids' bike for Christmas? This ''pimp your bike'' workshop is a chance to work on a donated bike with experienced mechanics. For a little time, a lot of love and a koha ($20 if possible), you can come away with a gift that not only looks cool, but teaches the values of recycling and good care. There will be plenty of decoration ideas to make it a personalised and special present.
• The open day will also feature a workshop (for school-age children and parents) on Japanese drums, using recycled cardboard, bamboo, balloons, string and beads (gold coin donation) as well as an opportunity to buy a craft kit ($4).
