2013 December Pender Post

Is a year supposed to make a “whoosh” sound as it flies by? I clearly remember Auld Lang Syne (2012), then a sort of a whoosh, and here it is almost Christmas 2013. I would love to reminisce, but I am afraid I might hear another “whoosh”, so I will just move to the task at hand. Christmas brings that what to buy, what to give dilemma. In case no one asks, I am going to offer a few suggestions and guidelines. Think of your talents. Give something you have created. Give a poem, a carving, preserves, a story, or any form of art that your skills allow. Self-created gifts seldom arrive with excess packaging . . . always a plus. Although a self-made gift always scores high on the “thoughtful and showing you care” scale, you must be realistic in assessing your creative skills. One Christmas many years ago, I tried to build everything I gave. Nice thought, but apparently my creative skills were far, so very far, below the requirements of the task, I did little more than endanger friendships. If you have a person on your list who simply doesn’t need anything, consider donating to that person’s favourite charity . . . a benefit to medical research, animal preservation, the homeless, natural disaster sufferers around the world, those in need closer to home. If you wish to give an educational gift to young recipients, offer to make a donation to a charity or cause of their choice. The educational part is that the young person must research the cause and present a reasoned explanation of why the specific charity or cause is worthy. I know several couples that have used this “gift giving” system with their own kids. I think the system, or a variation on it, is brilliant in so many ways. Have I mentioned giving a 2014 membership in the Pender Island Recycling Society? Now there is another gift that works on many levels, particularly if the membership is instrumental in turning a current non-recycler into recycling regular. As I write this, the sun is shining and the sky is blue, but history indicates that similar weather will not be the norm for the next few months and, regardless of the weather, the recycling depot staff will be out there smiling, working and helping customers. On behalf of the PIRS board I am delighted to thank the staff, and wish them all a Merry Christmas and a joyous 2014. Similarly, of behalf of the recycling staff and PIRS board, I wish all of the readers a joyous Christmas, Hanukkah, or holiday season, and a happy 2014. You may have noticed that both Christmas and New Year’s eves fall on Tuesdays, a recycling depot day. Les Quitzau has assured me that the depot will operate the full shifts (8 am – 3 pm) on those days. Quitzau also has advised that the staff has instituted an organic chocolate surcharge for any customers showing up during the last 15 minutes of those regular shifts. I had never heard of such a thing but I checked the constitution and the staff now has the right to institute such surcharges. I remain a tad suspicious because that amendment is the only one written in crayon, but it does exist. As big a whoosh as 2013 made as it rushed by, it still provided enough memories and reasons for me to believe that they’re all good days on Pender.