Holidays – Readers.com® //www.readers.com/blog Tue, 24 Jan 2023 19:43:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 //wordpress.org/?v=4.8.3 //www.readers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cropped-Rea-newFavicon-2016-Final-32x32.png Holidays – Readers.com® //www.readers.com/blog 32 32 It’s #GivingTuesdayNow | One Hope: Restoring Vision //www.readers.com/blog/giving-tuesday-now-restoring-vision //www.readers.com/blog/giving-tuesday-now-restoring-vision#respond Mon, 04 May 2020 14:47:47 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=17518 One Hope Restoring Vision Giving Tuesday Now

In this time of uncertainty, there’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope — that together we can do extraordinary things.

In this time of uncertainty, there’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope — that together we can do extraordinary things.

That’s why we’re supporting RestoringVision on #GivingTuesdayNow, a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 – in addition to the regularly scheduled #GivingTuesday in the fall – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business, and philanthropic activation in support of communities and nonprofits around the world. It’s a day when everyone can come together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where you are.

On this #GivingTuesdayNow, organizations and people all around the world are giving hope. Together they are strengthening communities, supporting nonprofits, and giving back. At Readers.com, we are proudly supporting RestoringVision, the largest nonprofit provider of reading glasses to people in need around the world, as they continue to work on behalf of the most vulnerable – people who are navigating through these trying times without the ability to see clearly all due to lack of access to available, affordable glasses in their communities.

woman wearing reading glasses using sewing machineFor people living in disadvantaged conditions, a pair of reading glasses can make an immediate and significant difference in their ability to take care of their health, as well as stay productive, keep their job, and be ready to reenter the workforce equipped with what they need when the immediate crisis is over.

RestoringVision’s goal for #GivingTuesdayNow is to raise $150,000 to provide readers to 150,000 people living in impoverished communities around the world, including the U.S. and Latin America. RestoringVision has already secured a matching gift of up to $150,000 to leverage during its #GivingTuesdayNow campaign. This gift will magnify the impact a single donor can make and allow for 2 individuals in need to receive reading glasses for every $1 donated.

Please consider joining us in making the extraordinary happen today. A single $5 donation will restore vision to 10 people in need. Provide readers to the most vulnerable through RestoringVision by visiting their dedicated donation page.

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5 Popular Holiday Traditions and Their Origins //www.readers.com/blog/the-origins-of-5-popular-holiday-traditions/ //www.readers.com/blog/the-origins-of-5-popular-holiday-traditions/#respond Mon, 17 Dec 2018 22:24:40 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=15796 Fruitcake

Fruitcake gets a bad rap for the holidays. This infamous gift traces back its origins to Egyptian history. It’s said that Egyptians left fruitcakes on in the tombs of their dead relatives. In England, people would place fruitcake under their pillow to dream about their sweet, eventual “someone”. Europe made fruitcakes illegal in the 18th Century describing them as “sinfully rich” treats. Europeans began fleeing to America to get from under Europe’s thumb, and shipment of fruitcakes to America began.

Quite the backstory for something people now use for cake-chucking contests! The rumor is that when they became mass-produced, fruitcakes became the gag gift of the season. Now, about 47% of people who receive them as gifts admit to eagerly throwing them away.

Kwanzaa Candles

Many people can recognize Kwanzaa candles, but did you know each of the colors of the candles have a specific meaning? Kwanzaa candles consist of red, black, and green candles. The candles are lit from left to right, beginning with three red candles, which represent the struggle for freedom for people of African heritage. This is followed by lighting one black candle which represents the color of the people. Finally, three green candles are lit which symbolize the rich and fertile land of Africa.

 

Wreaths

They’re a must-have amongst Christmas decorations, but where does the tradition stem from? Wreaths are believed to have found their early roots in Germanic culture, the evergreen symbolizing life year-round and the eventual return of warm weather. Essentially, hope for all who hibernate in the winter. This tradition was later adopted by Christianity and infused with the telling of Christ, his crown, and the symbol of everlasting and eternal life. 

 

Hanukkah Gelt

The giving of the Hanukkah gelt is a timeless tradition of the Jewish culture. Some of the earliest Jewish records express how important unique coinage was because its ability to be minted represented Jewish independence. The coinage was an early symbol of prosperity, and when their use began to wane, coinage was still given to Jewish teachers in support of children’s education and their learning the Torah. Gelts eventually were given to children as well, in support of their academics and studying Judaism.

Gelts are now popularly given as money and as chocolate gold coins to Jewish children during the season of Hanukkah.

 

Chinese New Year Lion Dance

The lion dance is popularly seen during the celebration of the Chinese New Year, but not exclusively so. It can also be found at many Chinese celebrations and festivals due to it being a symbol of fortune and good luck. The lion dance consists of two people under a lion suit, one in the head and one in the body, who dance and mimic the movements of the lion. Sometimes they spit out greens to spread good fortune as the head consumes red envelopes called “hong paos” that contain monetary donations.

This tradition dates back to the Three Kingdoms Period and the eventual rise of Buddhism and the Tang Dynasty. Lions were originally a Chinese myth, being that no lions lived in China at the time. Upon introduction by the Silk Road trade, however, the lion dance became a prayer for good luck.

 

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6 Simple Ways to Help Our Planet //www.readers.com/blog/6-simple-ways-to-help-our-planet/ //www.readers.com/blog/6-simple-ways-to-help-our-planet/#respond Wed, 18 Apr 2018 13:51:22 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=14750 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ♻️

We’ve heard this mantra for years, but it’s always a good reminder that recycling is one of the largest and easiest arenas where we can make a conscious effort to do our part. Plastic pollution is a widespread issue that stems from small decisions we make each day. Single-use items like plastic bottles, silverware, bags, straws, packaging, and diapers all end up in the same place – one of the 3,091 landfills in the United States.

It’s approximated that off all plastic waste generated between 1950 and 2015, only 12% has been incinerated, 9% has been recycled. Somewhere around 60% of all plastics created are now sitting in landfills. And when one million plastic bottles are purchased by Americans every minute but only 23% of them are recycled, it’s easy to see how the problem can quickly compound unless we make an effort to reduce our single-use plastic consumption.

The easiest way to recycle is with weekly residential recycling pickup. However, some more remote areas may not offer these types of curbside services, and it may require you to visit a recycling center. You can quickly find the closest recycling center that will accept the items you’re looking to recycle.

Questions on how to recycle certain items? Check out these guidelines on common household items.

E-Receipts  

If you have the option of receiving your receipt via email, commonly called a digital or e-receipt, do it! By having your receipt emailed to you instead of printing it, you’re helping to reduce the waste associated with creating the receipt (trees, oil, and water) and also reduces the amount of paper that ends up in landfills or on the side of the road. And it will help keep your purse or office stack of receipts to a minimum, which is an added bonus!

Plastic, Paper, or Reusable Bags?  

Plastic

While high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bags commonly used at retail stores are the most inexpensive option to create, it depends on what you do with it when you get home that matters the most. Reusing plastic bags does help reduce the carbon footprint, but at a minimal level. Throwing it away after first use is the same as repurposing the bag a second time. How? While many have started reusing plastic bags as lunch sacks, small trash can liners, or a bag for disposing of animal waste, these plastic bags still end up in the same place at the end of the day – the landfill.

Since many recycling services don’t accept plastic bags, it’s harder to recycle plastic bags than the other bagging options. The good news? Many large retailers have started collecting used plastic bags in the store, and you can easily find the closest recycling center to you.

Paper

Paper bags are harder to obtain at a grocery store, and often times you have to ask for paper instead of plastic. Because paper bags cost more to create relative to plastic bags, they have to be reused at least four times to offset their impact to the environment as compared to plastic bags, according to a study conducted by the UK Environment Agency. Paper bags have many uses and can easily be recycled or composted, but we have to keep in mind the process of making the paper bags and the tree farming involved.

Reusable

The last five years have seen an increase in stores offering reusable shopping bags as a “green” alternative to plastic bags. Overall, these bags are made of materials that are more expensive to manufacture than paper or plastic. The same UK Environment Agency study found that in order to make the reusable bag a truly environmentally friendly option, polypropylene plastic totes would require 26 uses and cotton tote bags would require 327 uses. While many have a collection of tote bags to use at the grocery store or elsewhere, how many times do we forget these bags in the car or at home? And what are the chances that your bag will last for 327 uses?

While we can’t tell you what the best option is for you – we want to provide you with some basic information to help you make an informed decision.

Use LED Light Bulbs 💡

Light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs have become a popular energy-efficient alternative to traditional light bulbs for several reasons.

These LED bulbs use 85% less electricity than incandescent bulbs, which helps to keep your electricity bill down and more money in your pocket. The lifespan of LED bulbs is much longer, meaning you don’t have to keep replacing bulbs after 1,000 hours of use, which is the average burn time for traditional bulbs. Because LED bulbs light in a specific direction the light doesn’t have to be reflected or diffused inside the bulb as it does with incandescent bulbs, these bulbs have a brighter output to light the room. LED lights are also significantly cooler while in use than the traditional bulbs that release about 90% of their energy as heat.

If you’re not convinced yet, this list of things you didn’t know about LED should help.

Ditch the Paper Towels

One simple way to set your kitchen on the path to sustainability (or at least make a small step towards it) is to replace your paper towels with reusable cloth ones. If you’re anything like us, we use both paper towels and paper napkins at home, doubling the impact to the environment and the amount of money spent each trip to the store. In order to save some money and help our planet, we suggest swapping out your paper products for reusable ones.

The most popular alternatives to paper towels and napkins include microfiber, cotton, beeswax, linen — and this collection of fun and functional options should get you started.

Cleaning with a rag just somehow gets the job done better than with a paper towel. When the paper towel crumbles into little bits or rips off on a sharp edge, we toss them to the side and get a new one. But a good cleaning rag can last you years! Newspaper is also a great cleaning material for windows or absorbing smaller spills.

Some of you may be thinking that by using reusable napkins and towels will lead to more laundry and energy usage. But the truth is that if you run a full load of napkins, rags, and towels together, it’s not creating that much more laundry. Especially if you throw them in with bathroom towels that you are already washing. And here’s our shameless plug to help out Mother Earth by using natural cleaning products and laundry detergent.

Plant a Tree on Earth Day, Arbor Day, or Any Day! 🌳

While trees aren’t something that most of us immediately think of when we think of helping to make our world a better place to live, the following facts about trees might change your mind!

  • Did you know that in Chicago alone, trees remove more than 18,000 tons of air pollution each year?
  • A single tree can provide 24 hours worth of oxygen for up to four people.
  • Trees help reduce surface temperatures, which benefit plants, animals, and humans.
  • Trees increase property values. The value of having trees along the street is the same as adding 129 square feet of space to a home.

At Readers.com, we celebrate Earth by serving as a free sapling distribution point for our community on Arbor Day. All saplings are native to our home state of Indiana, and anyone can stop by pick the tree of their choice. We encourage you to do the same this spring and add a new tree to our planet!  

Tip: Be sure you plant the best kind of tree in the right place in your yard by following these simple steps.

 

At Readers.com, we applaud those of you who have taken steps, no matter how small, to help our planet. Whether you’re actively recycling, using environmentally-friendly cleaners, reusing plastic bags, composting, or taking more drastic steps, every conscious decision is important. One of our collections of reading glasses, The Environmentalist, houses three styles of reading glasses that feature recycled wood or bamboo temples. So if you’re interested in readers that leave less of a footprint, check them out.

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Snow & Tell: Welcome Winter With These Chilly Facts //www.readers.com/blog/snowtell-welcome-winter-with-these-chilly-facts/ //www.readers.com/blog/snowtell-welcome-winter-with-these-chilly-facts/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2017 20:39:51 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=14542 Winter is upon us, and brilliant white snowflakes have begun to fall. Maybe you are excitedly anticipating the first (and subsequent) snowfall(s) of the year, or maybe you are already making plans for your winter escape. If you are the latter, we suggest avoiding New Hampshire as it has the most snowy days per year. However, if you are in favor of snowy weather we highly suggest paying a visit to Alta, Utah, as it is the snowiest U.S. town with an average of 583 inches of snow per year.

Read on for even more snowy trivia to help you prepare for the winter season ahead:

Snow & Tell: Welcome Winter With These Chilly Facts

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Holiday Gifts for Teens //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-teens/ //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-teens/#respond Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:00:40 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=8023 To keep you sane this season, we’ve scoured the Internet and polled each age group for the best gifts of the year for every budget.

Shop for: Teens | 20-Somethings | 30-Somethings | 40-Somethings

For the teens on your list, give them something that makes them feel cool, fuels their creativity, or humors their love for music. Check out our top 10 gift picks for the 2016 holiday season!

christmas gift ideas for teenagers

  1. iPhone case
  2. Spotify subscription
  3. Flannel shirt
  4. Bath & Body Works moisturizer
  5. Birchbox subscription
  6. Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera
  7. Plaid infinity scarf
  8. Nike Lunar Force 1 Duckboot
  9. Beats Solo3 Headphones
  10. Starbucks gift card (send e-gift card or pick up in store)

 

All images courtesy of Polyvore.com

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Holiday Gifts for 20-Somethings | Readers.com® //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-20-somethings/ //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-20-somethings/#respond Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:00:38 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=8025 To keep you sane this season, we’ve scoured the Internet and polled each age group for the best gifts of the year for every budget. 

Shop for: Teens | 20-Somethings | 30-Somethings | 40-Somethings

For the 20-somethings on your list, give them nicer items they would love but can’t spend money on while trying to figure out rent and other ins-and-outs of the real world. Check out our favorite gifts of the season!

gift guide for 20 year olds

  1. Duvet cover
  2. Cozy sweater
  3. Bobbi Brown mascara
  4. MVMT watch
  5. Moscow mule mug
  6. Bucket bag
  7. Hybrid bike
  8. Travel mug
  9. Record player
  10. Noise canceling headphones

 

All images courtesy of Polyvore.com

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Holiday Gifts for 30-Somethings //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-30-somethings/ //www.readers.com/blog/gift-ideas-for-30-somethings/#respond Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:00:18 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=8027 To keep you sane this season, we’ve scoured the Internet and polled each age group for the best gifts of the year for every budget. 

Shop for: Teens | 20-Somethings | 30-Somethings | 40-Somethings

For the 30-somethings on your list, give them items that make them feel special (and a little luxurious) after working long hours at the office and chasing after little ones. Check out our top 10 picks of the season!

best christmas gifts for 30 year olds

  1. Plaid scarf
  2. Alex and Ani bangle
  3. Avocado saver
  4. North Face jacket
  5. Apple watch
  6. Fur throw blanket
  7. Bath & Body Works candle
  8. West Elm gift card
  9. Leather gloves
  10. Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist

 

All images courtesy of Polyvore.com

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Fall Apple Guide: The Best Varieties to Bake, Cook, Blend, and Eat //www.readers.com/blog/fall-apple-guide/ Thu, 01 Sep 2016 19:08:17 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=13575 Don’t look now, but it’s apple season! With over 7,500 apple varieties grown across the entire world, it’s difficult to remember which apples are in-season, which make the best pies, and which are best eaten raw. To help you out, we’ve listed some popular apples in the United States, when they’re in season, and how you can use them. Let’s get cooking!

The Best Apples for Baking (and Pie)

There’s nothing better than a slice of warm apple pie topped with some vanilla ice cream. It’s okay to let your mouth water a little bit.

When baking, you need to pick an apple with the appropriate texture. Spending time on perfecting a fall apple dish only to take a bite of mushy apple is, to say the least, quite a disappointment! To avoid this, make sure that you pick an apple that is crisp enough to withstand the oven, and that has a good balance of sweet and tart taste.

Remember, you can also mix multiple types of apples to create a variety of flavors — it never hurts to experiment a little!

Recommended Apples —

  • Granny Smith
  • Golden Delicious
  • Honeycrisp
  • Cortland
  • Empire
  • Jonathan

The Best Apples for Cider

One of our favorite parts about fall is when we see cider hit the stands in the grocery store. The sweet and spicy combination that’s unique to apple cider is the perfect companion to a crisp fall day. This year, we challenge you to make a batch of your own!

In order to get all the right flavors for a balanced cider (sweet, bitter, sharp), apple cider typically requires a blend of apples. This chart shows a standard ration of the three flavors to use when making a hearty cider. If it’s your first time making cider, try this simple recipe.

Recommended Apples —

  • Gala
  • Fuji
  • Winesap
  • McIntosh
  • Cortland
  • Honeycrisp

The Best Apples for Applesauce

You can really use any apples you would like when making applesauce, but for convenience we recommend soft apples. Not only will they be easier to cut, but they’ll also cook faster than harder apples.

Applesauce is one of our favorite fall treats because you can adjust your recipe as needed, adding more cinnamon here, a little nutmeg there. Make a big batch, refrigerate, and enjoy!

Recommended Apples —

  • Cortland
  • Jonagold
  • Winesap
  • Fuji
  • Granny Smith

The Best Apples to Eat Raw

There’s nothing worse than biting into a subpar apple. Although fall is the time in which apples are in season, some are more tasty when eaten raw, whereas other apples might be better in applesauces or pies.

The first thing to remember is that certain apples are in season during certain months. So, for the freshest taste, pick apples that are at their peak.

Recommended Apples —

  • Honeycrisp
  • Braeburn
  • Fuji
  • Gala
  • Golden Delicious
  • McIntosh
  • Empire

Apple Varieties by Season

We all know that apples are in season in the fall, but what some might not know is which part of fall. Some varieties are best in late August, whereas others are at their peak in November. Below are different apple varieties, organized by when they’re in season.

Summer Apples (poor storage apples) —

  • Earligold
    • In season:mid- to-late-July
    • Flavor: tart
    • Must refrigerate
  • Hawaii
    • In season: mid- to-late-July
    • Flavor: tart
    • Must refrigerate
  • Rambo
    • In season:mid- to-late-July
    • Flavor: tart
    • Must refrigerate
  • Akane
    • In season: late July to late August
    • Flavor: tart
  • Mollie’s Delicious
    • In season: mid-August to mid-September
    • Flavor: sweet

Fall Apples (good storage apples) —

  • Gala
    • In season: mid-August to late October
    • Flavor: sweet
  • Honeycrisp
    • In season: mid-August to late September
    • Flavor: sweet + tart
  • Empire
    • In season: late August to mid-October
    • Flavor: sweet
  • Jonathan
    • In season: early September to mid-November
    • Flavor: tart
  • Cortland
    • In season: early September to mid-November
    • Flavor: sweet
  • Red Delicious
    • In season: mid-September to mid-November
    • Flavor: sweet
  • Jonagold:
    • In season: mid-September to mid-November
    • Flavor: sweet

Winter Apples (best storage apples) —

  • Melrose
    • In season: mid-September to late October
    • Flavor: tart
  • Ida Red
    • In season: mid-September to mid-November
    • Flavor: tart
  • Turley Winesap
    • In season: late September to mid-November
    • Flavor: tart
  • Mutsu
    • In season: late September to late October
    • Flavor: sweet + tart
  • Stayman Winesap
    • In season: early October to mid-November
    • Flavor: sweet + tart
  • Fuji
    • In season: early October to mid-November
    • Flavor: sweet
  • Granny Smith
    • In season: early October to mid-November
    • Flavor: sour
  • Black Twig
    • In season: early October to mid-November
    • Flavor: tart

Mouth watering? Check out our Holiday Cookbook for over 40 recipes >>

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5 Easter Traditions To Start Doing With Your Family This Year //www.readers.com/blog/5-easter-traditions-for-your-family/ Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:18:32 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=13246 Easter is right around the corner and we’re using the holiday to celebrate all things spring-related. From planting flowers, to cooking a big brunch, Easter traditions are a fun, memorable way to spend time with your family and get excited for warmer weather. Below are five of our favorite Easter traditions — maybe you’ve already been doing them for years, or maybe you can make this year the first of many more to come.

1. Decorate Your Own Easter Eggs

Dying Easter eggs is a classic tradition that you probably did as a kid, too. Buy a few kits at the grocery store and call it a day, or get a little craftier. You can decorate eggs with puffy paint, confetti, and anything else that sparks your fancy from the craft store. Just don’t forget to boil the eggs, first!

If you’re looking for some more ways to get creative with Easter eggs, we love this guide by Sunlit Spaces: 14 Fantastic Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs.

decorating easter eggs

2. Make (And Mail) Easter Cards

Handwritten cards are always a kind gesture. Teach your kids or your grandkids the art of sending letters by making your own Easter cards to send, snail-mail style, to friends and family. Construction paper and markers will do just fine, or you can find a template online, like this one by Martha Stewart.

3. Bake an Easter Quiche

Who doesn’t love a hearty Easter brunch with loved ones? If you’re getting sick of deviled eggs, try a quiche. It’s easy to make and you can prepare it ahead of time so you can spend less time in the kitchen, and more time enjoying the day with your family. If you don’t already have a quiche recipe in your lineup, check out these 9 different variations that are perfect for the occasion.

easter quiche

4. Host an Easter Egg Hunt

The main event — a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Why not be the host this year? Recruit your kids or grandkids to help you fill up hollow, plastic Easter eggs (which you can usually find at a dollar store) with different treats and prizes.

This is where things get fun. You can stuff your eggs with candy, toys, gift cards, cash — whatever you think is best! Check out this article for even more tips and ideas for hosting the perfect egg hunt.

5. Plant Tulips

One of the most popular potted flowers to buy around Easter-time are tulips. Did you know that you can plant tulip bulbs outside after they’ve bloomed? This is a fun Easter day or after-Easter activity for you and your family, especially if you give each other potted tulips as a gift.

spring tulips

Sometimes it takes up to two years for the tulips to bloom again once they’ve been replanted, but you can make it a tradition each year to check on them and even plant a few more! For more detailed instructions on how to replant your tulip bulbs, take a look at this article.

How are you planning to spend Easter this year? We’d love to hear about your traditions, new and old. Give us a shout on Twitter or Facebook!

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Six Holiday Gifts That Can’t Possibly End Up in the Closet //www.readers.com/blog/6-space-saving-holiday-gifts/ Sun, 20 Dec 2015 16:34:37 +0000 //www.readers.com/blog/?p=13194

It’s buying season; shopping season; bringing home boxes and bags and lists season.

It’s that time of year when we’re all obsessed with finding the perfect thing — an entire list of perfect things. But, what do you do for people who already have too many things? What do you get for kids or grandkids who can only own whatever they can move onto campus in a minivan? Or, the aunt and uncle who are downsizing to retire to Santa Fe? What do you get for the friends and the family who say “you know what…I honestly can’t think of a single thing I need”?

We’ve built a list of six gift ideas that are perfect for those friends. These are gifts that come from the bottom of your heart and will never end up in the back of a closet.

1. Philanthropy.

Make a donation in your loved one’s name.

Especially for someone who says they already have everything they need. There are plenty of people, causes and organizations that simply do not have everything they need and would be grateful for the support.

Timmy Global Health

We might be a tiny bit biased, because we partner with Timmy Global Health, but we’ve teamed up with them for a reason. Timmy is headquartered near us in Indianapolis and does amazing, much needed work — bringing medical care to communities in need around the world.

This has been an incredible opportunity for us — to provide UV-blocking sunglasses to a farmer in South America to protect her eyes from the sun, or to give a weaver in Africa the bifocal readers that will help him earn a living. (For more on our partnership with Timmy, read here.)

Heifer International

What’s not to love about giving people in need exactly the things they need to help themselves? Donations in a friend or family member’s name can provide a farm animal, clean water or even a small business loan to a community that will use the gift to gain an economic footing and move toward sustainability.

Building Tomorrow 

Another charity with a goal of community self-reliance, Building Tomorrow promises communities in Uganda materials and plans to build schools in exchange for community buy-in to help build and support it. What starts as a project that brings the community together becomes a long-term center for transformation and economic progress. (There’s a beautiful animation explaining what they do here.)

GiveWell.org

If you’d like to find a charitable organization that supports a cause that’s close to your heart, go to GiveWell.org for information on which not-for-profits make the best use of your contributions.

2. Culture.

Consider a gift of the arts.

North American Reciprocal Museum Association

Many large cities have shared memberships between local museums, zoos and other similar cultural sites like, botanical gardens. Take a look at the North American Reciprocal Museum Association website for information about which museums offer membership plans that will give you member’s only access to partner museums around the country.

NPR membership

Admittedly, a coffee mug does take up physical space, but there’s always the option to turn down the gift you receive with membership to Public Radio. Find out more about benefits of becoming a supporting member of your local station here.

International Performances Live

Local movie theaters around the country host broadcasts like the Taming of the Shrew performed by the Bolshoi Ballet (Jan. 24th, 2016) and the opening night of TED Talks 2016 (Jan. 15). Go to Fathom Events to find more information on upcoming dates and times.

3. E-Books/Audiobooks.

When physical copies take up too much time. Or space.

For people with no space left on their shelves, eBooks are a perfect way to replace physical copies with something that doesn’t need to go back to the library. For people with no time to read, audiobooks might be the better answer.

Audible

Because its parent company, Amazon.com, offers an enormous selection of eBooks, Audible only carries the audio version of everything from contemporary best-sellers like The Martian, to classics like Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Scribd

One of Audible’s biggest competitors, Scribd, has a lower monthly fee and offers both audio and eBook versions of its selection.

Doing Good Better

Oxford Associate Professor of Philosophy William MacAskill on ways to maximize the effectiveness of philanthropy.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Truman Capote’s classic, read by Dexter star, Michael C. Hall.

Stumbling on Happiness

Harvard psychology researcher Daniel Gilbert on why we’re all so terrible at figuring out what might make us happy and gives insight on how we can change that.

Unbroken

Lauren Hillebrand’s acclaimed story of Louis Zamperini’s will-driven journey through danger and desperate times.

4. Share a Documentary.

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than sharing some idea that moves you, in the hopes that you can share the depth of feeling that it evoked.

Netflix

If someone you love doesn’t have an account, consider giving them online (and possibly TV) access to an incredible selection of movies, including some of the best documentary work out there for around $10 a month. See details of gift memberships here. Or, buy $30 gift cards here.

Tim’s Vermeer

A digital video pioneer sets out to prove that one of the world’s best known artists used state of the art optical devices to help paint his masterworks.

20 Feet from Stardom

The inside stories to some of the most famous backup singers in Rock and Soul music history.

Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry

The story of controversial Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, whose work openly criticizes and defies his government. Ai Wei Wei’s work takes many forms, but much of it points out the imbalance between the human-driven Chinese industrial machine and individual identity and civil rights.

Life Itself

The story of film critic Roger Ebert whose witty, thoughtful and sometimes exuberant reviews were driven by a deep, abiding love for film, and life.

The Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Werner Herzog’s exclusive look at the science and magic of cave paintings sealed off by a rockslide for 20,000 years.

5. Apps.

There’s an app for nearly everything.

The best part about owning smart phones and tablets is customizing them to do the things that help fuel our obsessions, organize our days and enrich our lives.

Calm

The best app for people looking to start daily meditations or those who just need help taking a few minutes to relax and reconnect with themselves.

Instagram

Your kids and grandkids are probably posting photos of their lives on this. If you want to see them at their happiest, most unguarded and most photogenic, join them on Instagram. It’s easy to install, easy to use and one of the most reliable ways to get an answer to the question “so…what have you been up to?”

6. Podcasts.

We are in a second golden age of radio.

But this is radio you can play when and where you want to listen. You can chose to listen to months or years of the same show, or spend months discovering the best episodes of a whole world of shows. A lot of the work being produced is available for free (and perfectly legally) if you know where to look for it. Consider gifting a list of the best of what you’ve heard; stories that touched your heart; interviews that made you laugh out loud. Here are a few resources to get you started:

Stitcher

One of the top podcast players around, Stitcher can play podcasts, download the latest episode of any podcasts you’d like to listen to regularly and will make recommendations based on what’s trending and new or their listeners’ favorites. The application is free and requires no monthly subscription for content.

Serial

This is easily the most talked about podcast series to date. It’s the ongoing story of Adnan Syed — a high school football player convicted in 1999 of murdering his ex-girlfriend. NPR’s Sarah Koenig takes listeners through 12 episodes in which the case against Syed is measured against new evidence, ethical standards and basic, rational thinking.

Found My Fitness

This is the site and accompanying podcast of Dr. Rhonda Patrick, who discusses the latest information about the connection between food, gut fauna and physical health. Topics have included the correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and a variety of health issues and which nutrients that seem to prevent cancer, but may also make existing cancers worse.

 

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Disclaimer: All references to “bifocals” herein refer to readers having unmagnified lenses containing a “bifocal style” single powered reading glass insert located in the lower portion of the lenses.

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