The wonder of the gift economy as we enter the holiday season

We all know the drill as the year draws to a close where hyped up messaging and demands on individuals, families and communities can send us into a spin, often leaving us drained and joyless.. The essence of gifting and coming together with loved ones is often lost in the overriding consumer model to need more and feel like its never enough.

Recognising enough-ness is a radical act during the holiday season. Taking a pause and pumping the brakes on consumption overdrive can help us to take stock and notice what we already have. In fact, a sense of “I have enough” can awaken a practice of quiet gratitude and an invitation to share in the abundant harvest.

Our Christmas and holiday season mimics the summertime’s rich, seasonal abundance as the proliferation of fruit, flowers, berries and life, flourish outside our open windows. Slowing down to take in the, fragrant buzz of life can offer a quiet place of stillness, warmth and a sense of our belonging to the movement of life. Plants breath and we breath, we are fed from the earth’s harvest and the waterways offer the gift
of life to all living things.

It is a great time to consider the Indigenous ways of the “Honourable Harvest” as we begin our holiday season. These guiding principles can be applied to all levels of gifting, giving and receiving and offer a mindful approach steeped in deep and practical gratitude, reciprocity and honouring all life as equal and of value.

• Never take the first one (berry or shoots) and never take more than half allowing others (all our relations) to share in the harvest.

Consider the over supply of food, gifts and waste that accumulates over gathering family feasts, catch ups with friends and the constant “buy more” messaging and consider a simpler approach. This could include cutting down on produce, asking each member of your gathering to provide a dish and keeping the themes simple and sustainable where the whole community can share in the gifting and receiving.

• Take only what you need without disturbing the environment.


Consider where your gifts come from, what is the impact on the earth, and those who make your products (including products that come from earth resources). Choosing a gift that creates less waste and a smaller footprint, a fair wage to the makers and an sustainable earth footprint can help us to feel good about the gift we are giving and know that you are giving back to others.

• Give thanks and gratitude for the gift of harvest


Take time to consider those who have made your gift, what materials have been used from the earth and offer your thanks. A recognition of This can offer a sense of “fullness” on a spiritual and practical level in a world that tells us we are empty and need to consume more. Recognition of indebtedness can take us to a sense of the intertwining of all life; “Without you, I would not live”. This has the capacity to raise up all life on an equal platform that is interconnected.

• Reciprocating gift - what can I give back?

In what practical way can you support the earth or the communities that are responsible for your gift. Taking the time to consider this invites you into a gifting circle where we can also become the givers. When a gift is given, what can I give back?

When you consider how your own participation in life is what the world needs right now to flourish we can reclaim ourselves as the givers instead of simply consumers. This hold a great sense of agency, purpose and belonging in our living worlds and communities.

These simple practices can create a focal shift where we begin to recognise the land as a place of belonging and not simply a series of belongings. Naming the world as a gift builds deeper connections within the web of reciprocity.

So what are some practical ways you can adopt a gift economy this Holiday season? The currency of a gift economy is relationship and sharing abundance (however it arises) to foster stronger connections within families, communities and our world.

Consider regifting something that has a deep personal meaning and steeping in story. Lewis Hyde’s book “The Gift” reminds us that story goes hand in hand with gifting and each time a gift is given, the energy concentrates as it passes down the line.

Instead of gifting materially, consider other inventive and creative ways to gift and enliven the lives of those you love - a day visit to a much loved place in nature with picnic and laughter, some time to recharge batteries away from family or work stresses, visiting a favourite gallery or engaging in a musical or creative event.

What would a gifting circle look life for a community of young families where multiple opportunities to share meals, recipes, share child minding and consider joint camping adventures to build deeper friendships that last a lifetime?

Is there an organisation your loved ones’ value where you can support via volunteering or ongoing donations? These small acts of giving can create a stronger sense of “enough-ness” and “sharing of the harvest” with the greater community.

On both a practical and spiritual levels, adopting the gift economy in simple ways can offer a practice of gratitude and fullness for all we have and all that we are. During times of consumer bombardment it offers a safe harbour and can slow down the pace, offering pause and reflection for the everyday gifts and how we, in turn, bring our unique and heartfelt presence to all life.

At Rest and Restore, we offer a restorative space to recharge and rekindle your relationship with yourself and find solace in nature and slow mindful and informative practices, wholesome food, deep rest and a strong community focus.Consider gifting yourself or a loved one some space to support to recharge and reconnect.

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