Five Ways to Green Your Thanksgivukkah

Blog   |   by Sarah Baird   |   November 26, 2013

Keep your Thanksgivukkah simple and green with these five easy ideas.

Tackling Holiday Consumerism With Creative Resistance

Blog   |   by Jenny Blair   |   December 7, 2012

A New Dreamer’s toughest challenge might be navigating the stuff-obsessed holidays. Here are some tips.

My Holidays, Simplified: More Connection, Less Stuff

Blog   |   by Holly Minch   |   December 4, 2013

New Dream board member Holly Minch shares her path toward more connection and less stuff during the holidays.

A Single Shining Marble, and Other Cherished Gifts

Blog   |   by Sarah Wolpow   |   December 14, 2012

The most cherished gifts don't come in fancy packaging or from a trendy store. Guest blogger Sarah Wolpow explains.

The Gift of Connecting with the Past

Blog   |   by Moira Silva   |   December 7, 2018

New Dreamer Moira Silva shares the experience of creating a truly meaningful gift for her family: the gift of interviewing her great aunt.

Christmas Is About Presence, Not Presents

Blog   |   by Sarah Allison   |   November 9, 2018

New Dream Youth Fellow Sarah Allison shares her experience and faith-based values around keeping the Christmas holiday focused on transformation and healing.

TIPS: Reader Submissions: How I Simplify the Holidays

Resources   |   by New Dream   |   December 20, 2011

We asked our readers for their ideas for simplifying the holidays, and the response was overwhelming! Here are some of our favorite tips.

Is It Wrong to Want to Give Your Children What You Never Had?

Blog   |   by Kelley Dennings   |   December 16, 2019

A strong advocate of experiences over gifts, Kelley talks about her own struggles with trying to make holiday memories less about what’s under the tree and more about spending time together. 

Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas

Blog   |   by Bill McKibben   |   October 3, 2010

Why Gift At All? Top 3 Reasons Why People Should Still Use Registries

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   February 25, 2016

A few years ago, when the New Dream staff started tossing around the idea of creating an alternative gift registry, we weren’t all on board. Most of us had an “ick” sort of feeling when it came to registries. Traditional registries can sometimes come across as a bit tacky or even greedy. Plus, New Dream is an organization dedicated to shifting the ways that people consume—so why were we jumping into an industry dominated by big-box stores hawking more stuff? Wouldn’t we be encouraging people to create more waste and clutter? Read on to learn the top three reasons we were convinced that registries (and gifting) are still important.

Helping Your Kids Give Back: 11 Fun Holiday Service Ideas for You and Your Family

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   December 6, 2012

Looking for ways to incorporate volunteering into your holiday season? It might just be your family’s favorite memory this year.  

How We Started a Holiday Share Faire to Build Local Resilience and Create Community

Blog   |   by Rani Jayakumar   |   November 17, 2017

Learn how one California group is boosting local resilience and strengthening community ties by sharing stuff, skills, memories, and stories.

Give What Matters—Your Loved Ones Will Appreciate It

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   September 2, 2015

Read an excerpt from Rachel Macy Stafford's (also know as the Hands Free Mama) beautifully written new book, and learn how her daughter Natalie taught her to let go of societal expectations and her perfectionist tendencies and give the gifts that really matter in life.

Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas

Resources   |   by Bill McKibben   |   April 14, 2017

Author and environmentalist Bill McKibben discusses the "Hundred Dollar Holiday" program he started through local churches in the late-1990s, and why we need to reclaim the true joy of Christmas in our lives.