Lessons from Bloomingdales

Every year I give each of my nephews and nieces a Christmas tree ornament, from the time they are born until they get married.  My thinking was that I didn’t want the first Christmas tree of their own to be bare or have cheesy ornaments or lacking sentiment.  When they were all young, it was easy, as “age appropriate” ornaments abounded.  As they matured, I did the hand blown glass ornaments, the themed ornaments, the sentimental ornaments.  But each year, it has gotten harder and harder—and, truth be told, more and more expensive.

This year, I confess, I was really struggling.  I was tired of the same ole, same ole.  And then I decided that this was the year for charity ornaments:  ornaments that were sold to benefit a charity.

Sad for me to admit, I decided on this course for this year while shopping in Bloomingdales after Thanksgiving.  They had a display of ornaments, each designed by a “celebrity” (only one of whom I recognized).  Some of the ornaments were pretty, some sweet; others didn’t appeal to me.  The lesser of evils–both in terms of design and charity it would support—had the creator’s name in huge pink letters across the ball.  Yuck!  Silly me:  I wanted the purchase of the ornament to benefit charity, not have the ornament be an advertisement for the charity—or worse—the ornament’s celebrity designer.

For quite some time, I have bought my holiday cards (and note cards, coffee mug and umbrella) from CASA—Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children—of Multnomah and Washington Counties (the Portland, Oregon area).  I loved the cards for the art, the artists, the cause, and the knowledge that once the production costs were covered, the money would go to CASA to help the children, perhaps even some of the very artists who created the cards.  On the back of the cards was an indication of the first name and age of the child artist and a sentence or two about CASA.

This year, I didn’t get my announcement of the availability of the cards.  At first I was annoyed:  how’d they drop me?  I’ve been such a great consumer over the years.  But then I went to the website and was immediately saddened.  There I found the following message:  “After 20 years of fundraising for CASA programs in Multnomah and Washington Counties, along with those across the country, CASA Cards must close its doors in the face of economic hardship. We sincerely thank you for your support and loyalty to our important cause for the past two decades.”  What a statement on our times.

I wanted my ornaments to be like my CASA cards, made by real people for a cause that I truly believe in.  So, I went where so many of us go these days when we are on a mission:  I went to the internet.  To my amazement, my search was so much harder than I could have imagined.  I searched widely and deeply, over and over.  Well into my searching, I hit what I was sure was the jackpot:   a site with the address www.ornaments4charity.com.  Clicking on it, I expected to find my savior:  a one stop shop for all the charities selling ornaments to fund their causes.

What I found was so much better, and what should be an inspiration for everyone.  Ornaments 4 Charity is a family endeavor:  mom, dad, a 4^th grader, and a pre-kindergartener create ornaments each year as a family service project.  Every member of the family has his or her role in the creation, packing and mailing of the ornaments and managing the business.  Each year, the family picks a different charity to support.  This year, their choice was a perfect lesson for the youngest in my family:  100% of the proceeds will go to buy fleece blankets for children in the Stephen Center (Omaha, Nebraska) and local domestic violence shelters; the blankets are the children’s to keep when they transition to permanent housing.

As you may know, I don’t live in Omaha.  The last time I was in Omaha, I was probably the age of many of the children who will receive the blankets.  But I care deeply about children who are living with turmoil, regardless of where they are.  Thus, I am delighted that my purchase of three ornaments (well, two made by the Carlsons and one packaged by the Carlsons but to be made by my nephew) will contribute to a blanket or two.  And, as I have confessed earlier in this blog, when my son was little, we struggled with how to teach him the need to help those less fortunate.  Mr. and Mrs. Carlson have come up with a creative way that allows a family of any means to act on the importance of giving back while simultaneously, and subtly, educating their children about their good fortune and the misfortunes of others.  Truly an inspiration.

Next holiday season, as I seek holiday ornaments for my nieces and nephews, I don’t want to be accosted by celebrity designed (not even made) ornaments–as if I would buy an ornament because it has someone else’s name on it!  Rather, I will head straight for Ornaments 4 Charity, while hoping that without diluting the power of the original, copycats will have reproduced, not quite like rabbits.  There is great need and millions of children needing to learn the importance of giving back.  More than enough for everyone!

Thank you, Carlson family and best wishes for the new year.