The Gift Of Giving

LUCKY DIP

There doesn't need to be high expense when buying Christmas gifts. The best presents to give and receive at Christmas time are the thoughtful ones and those that make us laugh.

So if we can donate to the needy and laugh while we're doing it, we have the complete gift. My aunt has the perfect solution for achieving this and because she knows her presents are the best, it's an all round success. It's called a lucky dip. Consequently, the big box of presents we save back for Boxing Day is one of the highlights of the holidays and brings much laughter to all the family. 

We are very fortunate to have someone who takes the time and effort to ensure all the family get something to open at Christmas time and yet, it's quite a simple answer to meaningful gifting that we can all learn from. 

Trawling the busy shops for gifts can be stressful, especially if, like me you don't like shopping at the best of times. Quite often I'll find myself spending a good deal more money out of a need to merely purchase something because I'll feel guilty if I don't get something good. So this year, we gave ourselves a challenge. We could only buy for the other family adults from charity shops and maximum spend was £10 per item. 

There's so many charity shops on the high street that need extra money to keep them running. In order to help out those less fortunate than us, spend a few pounds getting some stocking fillers. It makes more sense than ever to help the needy at this time of year. With charity shops having racks & shelves full of interesting, quirky and cool items, there's never a problem finding something for a funny lucky dip either. And that is the genius of my Aunt's offering. Not only do we all have multiple gifts to unwrap, but by using old newspaper instead of wrapping paper, the fun of actually unwrapping, is prolonged - the paper goes in the recycling box and even if the presents aren't to our tastes, we can just recycle them in the charity shop.

Survival

JOHN PERCY

John, who I met by chance the other night outside Truro Cathedral, is currently the longest surviving HIV sufferer in the UK.

John has survived a brain haemorrhage, being beaten up (on more than one occasion) and suffered abuse wherever he goes, even from within the gay community itself, mainly, it seems, for publicly speaking out about HIV and Aids. Over the years, he has worked tirelessly for Aids charity organisations and spoke out previously on BBC radio about the lack of funding and general ignorance about this disease. This man, whatever his story and whether he is someone likeable or not, all foibles aside, is a survivor of the highest order.

He has inherited a terminal illness and when being informed that he had just 3 years to live, has stubbornly refused to let this take him to an early grave. Although terminally ill, he has remained alive and active on this planet for 30 years whereas many others have given up and conceded to an earlier fate.

He now has painful aids-related cancer in his body but still manages humour and civility. Meeting with him outside the cathedral in Truro on Thursday night, I was touched by this man's courage in the face of death and his attitude towards living life. No matter that it has been tough and at times very painful, he still holds on to what time he has left and makes the best use of it.

Good deeds

BANK OF KARMA

Today, I visited the bank of karma. I hadn't intended to go there but I realised that the act I was playing out was way beyond the mention of money. I don't even know this person that well but I feel that the art of giving works best when it is to an unknown, or a relatively unknown at least.

So, to give hours of hard graft for a noble cause, means I've now deposited into the universal bank. If there is interest on this deed - great, but I have no need to draw on this for the foreseeable future and who knows if and when the dividends will be paid back. All I know is that my muscles ache but my soul feels soothed.

The Inspiration Net

THE INSPIRATION INDUSTRY

Self help books, websites showing videos of inspirational leaders like WOW Talks and Ted Talks, podcasts, business entrepreneur websites and business gurus offering the killer tips to become a successful leader like they have done...it's all a big industry in itself.

Caught In The Net
It seems everyone wants to become a guru for success these days, as it often brings 'success' in itself. Just look at the sales of self-help books alone. But what is success if it's not money and fame. I'd say working less hours and spending more time with family, friends and loved ones is success. I'd also say doing good for the community by contributing and connecting with others is success and when it's given freely, not really seen as work either.

The inspiration industry is warped, because it's mostly focussed on getting money and fame at it's core, whereas success and happiness is really not about money at all. In fact, I'd say that success is about enriching the soul and therefore any commercial gains become valueless when compared to the appreciation received from someone that's been in need of some love, respect and help.

If we look at success in these terms, everyone who can freely give to others is successful and should be seen as an inspiration. Forget the inspirational talkers as a motivator, we can all be successful and start today through acknowledging that we have the immediate potential right there in our grasp. We can get up on the ladder of success right now purely by donating freely to those who are greater in need than ourselves.

Charity Bargains

GIVE AND RECEIVE

Buying clothes from the second hand shop has completely lost the stigma it had from when I was at school. The stick we'd get from the bullies once they suspected we had on a hand-me-down, was enough to get a reputation for being somewhat of a lower classed citizen. Kids can be so cruel.

Through the college years it became a right of passage to wear charity shop attire. It was expected that everything worn had to be quirky cool clothing from a charity shop. But then a decent wage packet came along and suddenly second hand clothing was eradicated from the wardrobe.

With all the cheap clothing now clogging up the high street stores, likely produced unethically in poorer countries, it seems we're already making more stuff than we actually need. Adding to the fact that I'm bringing in very little money at the moment, I've made a pact to only buy from charity shops.

I like the idea that I'm giving to charity at the same time as treating myself. Today I bought four items that will serve me well. I was just looking for a pair of shorts, but in my search, found a hoody, vest, bag and shorts - all for just £22! There was a really nice shirt and a jacket which would have added another £14.50 to the total, but unfortunately, they were both a bit too small. Still, this shop Fara has so much great stuff that looks as new, for under a fiver, why go anywhere else?!

Penniless Living

THE MONEY MERRY GO ROUND

Money makes the world go round - or so they say. Yet the ride's not much fun for those with no money and no means of getting any. However, there are alternative ways to sustain a free lifestyle by gifting, charity and off the land without requiring any money at all - you just have to learn how.

Thankfully, there's brave people out there like Mark Boyle, who have shown us that it is possible to live frugally and away from the 9-5 grind and they've helpfully written blogs and books on their experiences that offer us manageable solutions for getting free from the rat race.

The Gift Economy
Acquiring stuff for free is a lot easier these days through channels like Freecycle, Craigslist and through many other barter websites - and even Gumtree has the odd freebie on their site too. Streetbank is a great new service for offering time and services for free and reciprocated in turn with gifts through other members. The idea being that it is the act of giving that forms stronger bonds with strangers from within your local community, who then become your friends.

For specifics like getting around or places to stay, there are also sites for sharing transport and letting people stay in your home or for volunteering in exchange for getting 'thanks' credits that in turn can be exchanged for receiving other items and services that you may need.

Community is key
Connecting with localised communities to form groups and to help build sustainable living in city centres as well as the rural areas has already taken off in the UK with LILAC. This is very encouraging for others who are struggling to keep up in an increasingly unaffordable climate as the powerful corporations take over the buying up of land mass and property in our cities - and show us how we can make this possible in our communities too.

Giving Back

KIDS NEED MENTORS

It was a long time ago when I was at school and I asked what I wanted to do for a job. Teachers were all around us - but I can't say any of them really inspired me to become like them. My dad had never really talked properly about his job and I hadn't really bothered to enquire about mate's dads jobs. Where were the mentors in my day? There was no internet and I don't recall anyone giving me a list of possible jobs and their benefits for me to consider. There was a Careers Advisor and I kinda recall sitting with him and my mum discussing what I was interested in. The conversation likely went something like this:

CA: "Does he like maths?
Mum: "He's good at maths but not sure he really likes it?"
CA: "Are there any hobbies?"
Mum: "He's a good drawer"
CA: "Maybe he'd like to be a commercial artist then"
Mum: "Well, his dad is a graphic designer"

And that was it. My career sorted. Luckily, my dad got me a junior role at his old firm and because of my generation's ability to use computers - I moved up the ladder really quickly and have been in employment ever since.

Back then, there didn't seem to be many options open to the kids at my school. You were either good at sums (banker), good with hands (carpenter, plumber, mechanic, builder) or some arty type....
It seemed the school were out of touch with the real world - there was no cross-over - no connection with the people and jobs that were out there for the students to see/experience and discover what they liked - at least I can't remember any. We just had to 'get lucky' as I did, that my dad knew someone (all about who you know) and that good timing in the evolution of graphic design meant someone already used to playing with computers would be so beneficial to a company trying to keep up with the new changes in the industry.

These days, it seems there's far more options open to the kids - maybe a little too much choice though - so more difficult to choose one. Because, being 16 and told to 'pick a job' is a really tough place to be in. I didn't know what I wanted to do. But if someone had told me: This job will give you multiple options for work within the design industry, enable you to travel, be expressive, creative and you can wear what you want and make a fairly decent income above and beyond what a lot of the other jobs do. I'd have been a bit more receptive to it....

So today I'm going in to a school to talk about how great it is to work within the media business. This is the second time I've stood up in front of 50 kids. I got a real kick out of it last time - seeing a few bright young stars contemplate their position in the world - and maybe feeding off my (reminder to myself!) enthusiasm for graphic design and media. It's good to give back!