A few Thoughts on the Season of Giving

This is it, we’re in the midst of holiday season upheaval. We see signs of its arrival earlier each year. Now, you can pick up new Christmas lights on the way home from your beach vacation! But the Holiday season really kicks off, officially and in the minds of the consumer, immediately after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are real American events — throwing shoppers into frenzies with ‘door-busting’ deals. This year, charities and non-profit organizations are trying to capture some of the Holiday spirit — and a couple of the dollars flying around this time of year — with the introduction of Giving Tuesday.

Perhaps a little charitable giving is just the salve guilt-ridden shoppers need after plunking down too much hard earned cash for the hot gift items of the year. I think it’s a brilliant idea and, if it catches on, could shift our behavior back towards the values the season stands for in the first place.

Apparently, charitable giving is a sentiment that’s catching on. One of our clients, Current360, just announced that in lieu of giving gifts to clients and vendors the’ll be allocating their gift budget to purchasing several water filtration systems assembled and deployed by WaterStep, a non-profit which helps communities in developing parts of the world access clean water. Clients and Vendors will receive a water bottle with the Current360 mark on it and a note explaining the importance of WaterStep’s work and that a contribution was made on their behalf. We’re struck by their generosity.
In a season of consumption and gift giving, it’s nice to see a company realize that conference tables are full of gift baskets and trinkets and that maybe trying something else would not only be acceptable but encouraged by their clients. It also sends a statement about the priorities and values of Current360. I applaud their efforts.
Our clients have always received a token of our appreciation each year and it’s a tradition we’re continuing this year. In the future, we may look for creative alternatives.
Your thoughts?

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