"Dear Joe," reads the colorful note beneath the Christmas tree. "We bought you a cow for Christmas. African children are drinking fresh milk in your name."

"Dear Betty," reads another, "We know you have a soft heart for babies, so for our Christmas remembrance this year, we are donating newborn apparel to the Red Cross family assistance program in your honor."

Increasing numbers of people are using this alternate kind of Christmas giving. As one man said, "It’s great for those friends who don’t smoke, don’t drink, are on a diet, and already have a Bible." Alternate Christmas giving reduces the commercialism of Christmas without sacrificing the tradition of giving.

Two years ago, Dorathy Bobzin, a high school librarian in Clearwater, Florida, decided to try an idea she brought home from a church in Milwaukee. Using the slogan, "Don’t get mauled at the mall," she worked with other members of the school staff to create what they called an Alternative Christmas Market. They selected a day in the month of November and transformed the school gymnasium with Christmas decorations and colorful displays presented by non-profit organizations. Each display described the organization’s mission and offered a shopping list of articles needed for the mission.

It took very little to persuade students, faculty, and staff to participate with enthusiasm. The students in the school where Dorathy works are required to do community service, so they were familiar with the participating organizations.

"Market" customers selected items as inexpensive as $2.00 to buy art supplies for the Kid’s Wish Network, or as expensive as $130 for a crib for a home for unwed mothers, plus everything in between. The types of organizations varied from the local Humane Society to a mission school in Uganda, Africa.

Shoppers at the Market marked their choices on a list made available to them and then took it to a central table so all purchases could be made with one payment. Student workers assisted customers in filling out Christmas cards which read, "A Christmas donation has been made to (organization) in your honor." The card was decorated with a Christmas scene and included a place for the donor’s message and signature.

As people become accustomed to giving in this manner, it becomes more acceptable. "We gave a goat to an African family in honor of my sea-going brother-in-law," said one Market customer. "He thanked me more than once for his Christmas present. The first thank you note said, ‘I’ve always wanted to get your goat.’ This year, I’ll give him a doll for the Kids Wish Network."

Another participant said, "My friend in a nursing home is a retired teacher, so I’m contributing to a library in Southeast Asia on her behalf."

Romantically minded students became noticeably more enthusiastic for the Market project when they found honeybees on the Heifer International list. It was a popular gift idea for their favorite guy or gal.

Do people like being on the receiving end of this type of giving? "If the gift is carefully chosen to reflect the interests of the recipient," says Ms. Bobzin, "most people are well pleased. My best friend wrote that she was flattered to be considered the sort of caring, unselfish person who would appreciate a gift of compassion in her name."

"It certainly beats another necktie," said a busy housewife, "or something that needs dusting."

Another recipient talked about the whole barnyard of animals her sister had given her over the years. "I like to think about how these gifts have helped needy families," she said.

It may not be for everyone, but it truly celebrates the birth of the one who said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." |L

Set up tables in a large room, nicely decorated.

Display information from non-profit organizations with lists of suggested gifts, plus their costs.

Provide shopping lists for customers to designate their choices, a place to pay for all the gifts at once, and attractive Christmas cards to be completed with the name of the recipient, a description of the gift, the organization, and the giver.

Recruit Workers to explain the system to the shoppers and to encourage shoppers to choose a gift that coincides with the recipient’s interest, instead of theirs.

Advertise in church bulletins, newspapers, posters, and by e-mail.

Note: You might want to have small homemade items such as jars of jelly, potpourri, spiced tea mix, Bible verse bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, and so on available at a nominal price to accompany the Christmas cards for those who are not happy without something to wrap . . . or unwrap.

OTHER COLUMNS:
November 15, 2009 - Bringing Christ to French Guiana
November 1, 2009 - Walking the edge
October 18, 2009 - Watch what you say
October 4, 2009 - Proposing a new proverb
September 20, 2009 - Fear and trembling
September 6, 2009 - Elwyn
August 23, 2009 - Where did the Bible go?
August 9, 2009 - The public school: a local mission field
July 26, 2009 - Astonishing the judges
July 12, 2009 - Letting the past go
June 28, 2009 - Line up
June 14, 2009 - The path to spiritual growth
May 31, 2009 - A tribute to one of my heroes
May 17, 2009 - Silent soldier
April 19, 2009 - Operation Resensitization
April 5, 2009 - The temptations of ministers
March 8, 2009 - Conversation over shoes
February 22, 2009 - By their plurals you shall know them
February 8, 2009 - What is missing from your retirement plans?
January 25, 2009 - Turn the page
December 28, 2008 - Abba, Father
December 14, 2008 - Elementary truths
November 30, 2008 - The illusion
October 19, 2008 - Acting like a toddler
October 5, 2008 - Don’t miss this
September 21, 2008 - Foolish schemes
September 7, 2008 - God’s hand is everywhere
August 24, 2008 - The dance
August 10, 2008 - Strange land
July 27, 2008 - God’s amazing grace
July 13, 2008 - A best seller
June 29, 2008 - My grandfather’s clock and worship
June 1, 2008 - Reclaiming the name
May 4, 2008 - God is not our fairy godmother
April 6, 2008 - Success: what is it and who can measure up?
March 9, 2008 - Need to know
February 10, 2008 - The top three myths of singleness
January 13, 2008 - By invitation only
December 5, 2007 - Yes, Abbie, there is a Jesus
November 18, 2007 - 10 Ways to be a good Christmas customer
October 21, 2007 - The dividing line
September 23, 2007 - What do you fear?
September 9, 2007 - A life well lived
August 26, 2007 - To murmur, or not to murmur
July 29, 2007 - The cross and the Christian
July 15, 2007 - Turning the other cheek: still a valuable biblical principle
July 1, 2007 - Why the tie?
June 3, 2007 - The death of a son
May 6, 2007 - A prayer for the dying
April 8, 2007 - The omnipresent God
March 11, 2007 - Do the Amish have superheroes?
February 11, 2007 - What’s your black history?
January 14, 2007 - The split branch
December 31, 2006 - The house of regret
December 10, 2006 - The redemption of the innkeeper
November 26, 2006 - Too many choices
November 12, 2006 - Break the bashing habit: Learning to love the unsaved like Christ does: November 12, 2006
October 15, 2006 - Be ‘salt and light’ this Christmas!: October 15, 2006
September 17, 2006 - Who is a legalist?: September 17, 2006 Issue 38
July 23, 2006 - God speaks through our brokenness: July 23, 2006 Issue 38
June 25, 2006 - 'What I am looking for in my church leaders'