I, Ruth am faced with a challenging dilemma – to give and receive presents during this holiday season – recycling or re-gifting presents.   I do not want a box of chocolates, a gift set of cocoa, tin of pistachios – no food items – please.  I don’t want nail clippers, or manicure set.  No cheap make-up box sets or perfume sampler sets.  Do I look like I want or need this stuff?  Is buying the gift more important than receiving the gift?  Showing someone you thought of them?  Please, then, don’t think of me during the holiday season.  I am stuck with gifts that have nothing to do with me and everything to do with you.  Do I recycle and re – gift?  Then I, Ruth would be doing the same.   In this one instance, in this one time – do not recycle.  Stop before it even gets to the recycle part.  Do not consume the crap.  Stay away from the crap.  Put down the crap.  Anything but crap – please!  Buy instead – plants, herb gardens – bring home a dog or cat from an animal shelter.  Save a life.  Give money back from your carbon footprint.  And if you really donate money to a charity – please really do so (remembering George on Seinfeld).  All in all – please remember the person you are buying for – buy them what you know they would like and enjoy – not something that is easy for you.  It is not about the gift but about the person.  This is easily forgotten in our haste to mark a name off a list and our lack of time to get everything done.  I would rather my name not be on your list and take that time that would have been on me – and spend it on you.  Spend time with your family, your children and your significant other – decorate a tree outside – take time to smile and breathe – and enjoy your day – your season and your life!  Give the gift to yourself.  This is my gift to you.  I, Ruth wish everyone a very healthy and very happy holiday season!  This will be a win for I, Ruth and a win for you too!

—–Happy Holidays, R