Give the gift that gives twice

Long lines, hyper-consumption and cold weather will, as expected, trademark the 2010 holiday shopping season. Consumer spending is projected to be significantly higher than in 2008 and 2009, according to the New York Times. However, as gift-seeking consumers flock to hectic shopping centers for too-good-to-pass-up deals, more and more people will spread holiday cheer through charitable donations.

According to Deborah Mitchell, director, Wisconsin School of Business Center for Brand and Product Management, an interesting trend is emerging across the United States. Instead of traditional gift giving, an increasing number of consumers are giving the gift that gives twice, Mitchell says. Donating to charities in someone else’s name is an innovative idea that parallels a larger cultural shift toward simplicity.

In Juliet Schor’s book, the Overspent American, she encourages American’s to downshift. Decreasing consumption yields higher levels of happiness and decreases waste, Schor says.

According to Mitchell, American’s are indeed downshifting to some extent in 2010. American’s are adopting simpler lifestyles by sticking to the basics, Mitchell says. Donating to charities supports this emerging trend and also reduces the negative impacts of hyper-consumption during the holiday season. This innovative gift obviously helps those in need, too.

There really is no better way to spread holiday cheer. Donating to a charity that a relative, friend or significant other believes in, on their behalf, decreases consumption. Shop less, do more and re-examine the gift-giving tradition in 2010.

Does that special person you’re buying for really need another pair of mittens? Another purse? A tie? Donate to a charity this holiday season as your gift to whoever it is that you’re shopping for. Donate to a charity this holiday season as your gift to the world. It is, after all, the gift that gives twice.

Swashion supports giving the gift that gives twice this holiday season because it decreases waste and helps exploit the over-consumption practices we as a society have become accustomed to.