Enduring gifts that don't take up space

As a new year of gift-giving begins, one resolution we can make is to give gifts of meaning that offer enduring benefits, strengthen loving bonds, don't take up space and don't end up in landfills. Who could ask for more?

And yet I often struggle to find the right gift with these characteristics.

Luckily, I found a website to help with that: sokindregistry

It cleverly offers gift ideas in categories such as:

• gifts of experience (tickets, events, entry passes...)
• gifts of time and skills (lessons, baby-sitting, canning, cleaning...)
• gifts of charity (of course!)
• handmade gifts  (meals, recipe books, art, knitted clothing...)
• second- use gifts  (toys, pocketbooks, a favorite scarf...)
• and of course we would add: gifts of trees!

The site doesn't sell these gifts! But it does offer you a place to register your ideas for gifts so your friends can know what to give you. Or ideas that can at least spark their imagination for gift ideas of their own.

Chances are these will be more memorable than many tangible gifts you give.

And with Tu B'shvat coming upon January 16, do think of gifts that keep on giving: trees.

While all trees are great to plant, if you want to plant fruit trees on this holiday of fruit trees, think of the Baltimore Orchard Project!

(This blog was not meant to be cross-promotional, but how lovely that it worked out that way!)

Enjoy!