peace

Tips to Simplify Your Holidays for a More Memorable, Meaningful Season

by Marsha Rakestraw It’s the holiday season. Which of these better describes your state of mind: Joyous, meaningful, balanced? Or, exhausted, stressed, conflicted? The winter holidays have gained a reputation for reaching the epitome of the “overs”: overspending, overbooking, overstressing, overconsuming. And more people are expressing a desire to simplify their holidays and bring more…

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humane holiday

Resources for Humane(r) Holidays

by Marsha Rakestraw Spending on holiday gifts increases nearly every year, and despite the pandemic, the National Retail Federation forecasts overall holiday spending of just under $30 billion for 2020. A lot of that money will be spent on clothing made in sweatshops, treats created with child labor and animal exploitation, and packaging-heavy disposable products full…

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rainforest in the classroom

Are the Holidays Wearing You Down or Filling You Up? It’s Your Choice

by Lynne Westmoreland This is the time of year set aside to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, the winter solstice, and Kwanzaa. The themes of the season are the return of hope, abundance, and protection, the return of the light, and a reminder to return to our spirituality and personal transformation as well. But in the last…

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holiday gifts

Tips for Happier, More Humane Gift-Giving

by Marsha Rakestraw This time of year the news is full of headlines about online sales, various shopping frenzies (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.), and an even earlier start on holiday buying. Juxtaposed with the high-energy holiday consumer craze are stories giving us tips for reducing our holiday stress and finding ways to make the…

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