Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Angels from the realms of glory; stars shone bright above. Royal David’s city was bathed in the light of love. (Big Star, 1974)

There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less. — GK Chesterton (from the Ethical Shopping Guide 2012)

The Ethical Consumer Group has provided a handy guide for Christmas

Merry Christmas

Nick Ray and his colleagues at the Ethical Consumer Group are wishing everyone a merry Christmas; including the people that make our Christmas gifts and contribute to the silliness of the season!Rather than doing your Christmas shopping at the local mega-mart, use gift giving and festive meals to exercise your commitment to ethical shopping.

They have some handy recommendations in three key Chrissie areas:

• Food
• Gifts
• Decorations

There are 12 things you can do!

• eat less meat
• choose free-range
• seek out sustainable seafood
• look for organic produce
• choose Fairtrade
• avoid the big two
• buy local
• avoid companies with a negative track-record
• go GE free
• go palm oil free
• minimise packaging
• slow down

Check out their gift page (there is a buy nothing option!).

Ethical Consumer Guide gift guide!

The tree and those decorations … an ethical ‘how to’ guide!

And … new online guide and catalogue

Also … don’t forget our new online Just Holy Hardware catalogue – great holy hardware for Christmas gifts … and beyond!

Not content with groundbreaking ideas like the ethical shopping ‘app.’, Nick Ray from the Ethical Consumer Group has been working on a brand new plan. Direct, fresh food available locally – post the silliness of the season what great way to start 2012!

If the idea gets enough support, Local Harvest will be a website resource for finding good food, connecting with growers, and exploring alternatives for food production in an urban setting. It will include:

• A national directory for finding food co-ops, food swap meets, community gardens, farmers markets, box systems, pick-you-own farms, farm-gate products, organic retailers, seed saver networks, free-range meats, and more. You can find local food by simply placing in a postcode
• Promotion and exploration of do-it-yourself alternatives for food production and meeting essential needs, including resources for growing your own food, making your own produce, storing and preserving, and low energy living.

Find out more! [January 2012 update on Local Harvest project]

Oh, and a little Christmas message …

God our Saviour shows the strength of his arm. He scatters the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He brings down the powerful from their thrones, lifts up the lowly, and fills the hungry with good things, while sending the rich away. Let our souls magnify you, oh Lord. Let our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour. Look with favour on us, lowly servants, so that we may receive your blessing. Do great things for us so we can speak your holy name. With fear, we ask for your mercy. Let us find your new and everlasting Covenant written in our hearts. (Luke 1:46-55, ‘Magnificat’, adapted)