Give Someone a Lump of Coal This Christmas

Chances are, the current economic crisis didn’t magically make your holiday gift responsibilities disappear. You’ve still got to find that perfect something for grandma, boyfriend, cousin, mom and the mailman.

And, if you were fans of our campaign last year, you’d love to get them all something that’s better than conventional gifts – something that means something and maybe even saves the world in the process.

That’s why between now and Christmas, each Friday’s 5 Minutes of Caring article will highlight something that you can get a loved one to help them save the planet by polluting less, saving energy or reducing waste. These ideas may not be as glamorous as an iPod or a spa package, but they’re oh-so-cool as they’re all proven ways to make a difference for the environment.

If you’re a little nervous about actually giving someone something like a power strip, don’t worry – we’ll help you through that potentially awkward moment when they open your gift only to look confused as if you did all of your holiday shopping at a hardware store. With each Friday’s 5 Minutes of Caring, you can also download a printable 4″x6″ gift tag that explains the gift and why it’s important for you to give it (and for them to use it).

So, if you want to make Christmas not your birthday yet one more time, come journey with us each Friday as we show you seven different things to get anyone and everyone on your list in order to make our world a little greener in 2009. They’re affordable, meaningful, and best of all – cool.

Note: For your loyalists out there, this does mean that we’re moving our More Time on Your Hands articles to Wednesdays. But just until the new year. And oh – thanks for being a loyalist!