Advent — a time of waiting

• Advent Conspiracy

  The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love. What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

• Why are we waiting?
  Church leaders are encouraging people to rediscover the forgotten joys and deeper benefits of waiting for the things they want with the launch of an online Advent calendar produced by the Church of England. The calendar is aimed at putting the waiting back into wanting as the countdown to Christmas begins.
• Put the waiting back into wanting
  Advent is one of the most significant times in the Church’s year — a time of waiting.
• Pray now, buy later
  The Advent period running up to Christmas, traditionally a time of reflection and contemplation, has been “squeezed” by consumer pressures and frenetic activity, the Church of England said at the launch of a new website to help Christians mark the season.
• Do Nothing … Christmas is Coming
  This book turns to what, for many, is the busiest time of the year. For every day of Advent, author the Right Reverend Dr Stephen Cottrell provides short, practical steps to help us slow down, take time out — and resist the pressure of the Christmas whirl. See also an interview with Dr Cottrell.

• Advent Campaign: Reclaim Christmas
  Christmas is a time of year famed for its excessive rate of consumption. This campaign provides resources to celebrate and anticipate the birth of Christ together, in community, resisting the tide of consumerism over the Advent period. You’ll find event ideas, liturgical resources, Reclaim Christmas “pledges”, craft suggestions, and more.

Perspectives on consumption, Christmas and Christianity

• Consumer consequences: find out if you are living a sustainable life

  Consumer Consequences is an interactive game designed to illustrate the impact of our lifestyles on the Earth.

• Confessions of a half-hearted Christmas radical

  I found myself on the wrong side of the Christmas debate and I lost. I’m still going to be driving over 2000 miles in the next two weeks to be with family. And the Christmas tree is still standing in my apartment decked out with lights and ornaments. But next year, I think I’ll be taking a page from a different playbook.

• A pre-consumption prayer

  Before we eat, we say a prayer to acknowledge our gratitude for God’s bounty. Through prayer, we express both humility and appreciation. If we pray mindfully, we simultaneously acknowledge our joy at what we have while also feeling compassion for those who have not. What if we said a prayer each time we bought something — each time we “consumed”?

• The Christmas story in under 30 seconds!

  Can you tell the Christmas story for radio or video in under 30 seconds? That's the challenge set for churches, youth groups and individuals this Christmas.

• Buy nothing day as Advent activism against the demon mammon

  We must ask questions of class, race, inequality, and the dynamics that create killing stampedes at Wal-marts.

• Consumerism no cure for depression: Prince Charles
  The Prince of Wales has delivered an impassioned plea against Western civilisation’s burgeoning consumerism, warning that it is leading to an increasing dislocation between humanity and nature.
• Spiritual solutions to credit crisis needed
  A prominent UK Catholic has launched an attack on the values of the “market” and called on the Government to look to Christian and spiritual ethics for solutions to the credit crisis this Christmas.
• Buy Nothing Christmas
  This Christmas we’ll be swamped with offers, ads and invitations to buy more stuff. But now there’s a way to say enough and join a movement dedicated to reviving the original meaning of Christmas giving. Buy Nothing Christmas is a national initiative started by Canadian Mennonites, but open to everyone with a thirst for change and a desire for action.
• Alternatives for Simple Living
  Equipping people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly.
• Alternativity
  Alternativity has ideas and resources to help you explore how to take control of your celebrations and make Advent and Christmas a time of peace and joy. Its aims include taking a fresh look at the bible story and drawing out the underlying meaning and values; looking for ways in which worship can more readily reflect the reality of the first Christmas; and listening to the pressures people experience and working together to find alternatives.
• A new ethics of consumption
  Under the current model of consumption it is very difficult to be an ethical consumer. One can essentially choose between “bad” and “less bad” products; organic and free trade labels help, but “greenwashing” has become an insidious problem, making it difficult to distinguish truly green advances from baseless claims.
• Perspectives on ‘ethical’ Christmas gifts
  If you want to help poor people in developing countries this Christmas, a fly-proof latrine or an elephant-repelling chilli hedge could be just the present to set your mind at rest.
• Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation
  Religions worldwide celebrate Earth’s abundance and sustenance, and call on humankind to give thanks, practise compassion, seek justice, and be mindful of future generations. In this book, leaders from many faith traditions, along with writers who hold nature sacred, articulate the moral and spiritual imperative of stewardship and share personal stories of coming to understand humans’ unique power and responsibility to care for creation.

• JustHolyHardware

  JustHolyHardware is for people who do not want to buy Christian devotional items made under gross exploitation; for example, a recent report found that employees making crosses were forced to work regular 14 to 15.5 hour shifts a day, seven days a week.

Practical ways to make your Christmas a meaningful one

• Five steps for a more ethical Christmas
  This short guide provides links and sources of information that to help you have a more ethical Yuletide — from getting Christmas cards, to the Christmas meal, presents and decorations.
• UnitingCare Christmas Gift Appeal
  People are encouraged to be someone’s Santa this Christmas by choosing a gift tag with the age and gender of someone in need from the UnitingCare Christmas Tree at the front of all Target stores. Last year, Australians generously donated 129,194 gifts and more than $78,000 in gift vouchers, which were given to those most in need in time to open on Christmas morning. For more information, call UnitingCare on 1800 060 543.
• Everything in Common: Gifts of love to a world in need
  Everything in Common is a gift catalogue of Uniting International Mission and Uniting Church Overseas Aid. It provides simple, practical ways of showing love and solidarity to those in developing countries who share our needs, but not the advantages that we in the developed world in enjoy. These projects come out of UIM and UCOA’s committed relationships with partner churches and project partners around the world.
• Gifts of Life! Christian Blind Mission
  In 1000 projects across 112 countries, Christian Blind Mission’s ministry is to help those trapped in poverty and disability. Its Gifts of Life! Christmas catalogue contains 16 “gifts” that will improve the life of a person or community in a developing country.
• TEAR Australia’s gift catalogue
  Some people are weighed down with stuff. Others don’t have the essential stuff they need. TEAR’s gift catalogue is about restoring the balance.
• Partners for Just Trade
  Partners for Just Trade is a non-profit, Christian organisation that cultivates global partnerships between impoverished artisans and conscientious consumers, addressing the root causes of poverty through education, solidarity, a commitment to trade justice, and the sale of Fair Trade crafts.
• Ethical Superstore
  In order for a product or brand to be sold by Ethicalsuperstore.com, it must have established ethical credentials in at least one of the following areas: fair trade, organic, eco friendly, health and wellness promotion or education and awareness building.
• Everyday Hero Gift Cards
  Everyday Hero Gift Cards are available in $25 and $50 amounts. The holder of the card can make a donation to the cause or charity they care most about by choosing any one of the more than 450 charities that are members of Everyday Hero. The cards can be purchased from participating Australia Post Offices or online.
• World Vision Christmas Angels campaign
  World Vision is encouraging Australian shoppers to sponsor a child for someone they love as an alternative Christmas gift idea. Christmas shoppers can sign up by visiting one of World Vision's Christmas Angels stands at more than 100 shopping centres nationwide during the appeal, or by calling 13 32 40 or visiting the website www.worldvision.com.au.
• Oxfam Unwrapped
  Save the world from unwanted gifts!
• World Land Trust
  Saving threatened habitats worldwide — give someone an acre of rainforest for Christmas.
• The Natural Collection
  Formed in 1999 with a vision to create a distribution platform to support sustainable innovation and ideas, The Natural Collection offers a wide selection of ecologically considered products and services.
• UNICEF
  Giving UNICEF Cards & Gifts is much more than an act of goodwill: your dollars can save lives, or give a child somewhere a better future.
• World Wildlife Fund’s Adopt an Animal program
  Adoptions are unique and meaningful gifts for any occasion, and for friends and family of all ages. Give the gift that makes a difference by symbolically adopting a threatened species for someone you love, and help support WWF's conservation efforts to save wildlife at risk and their habitats.
• Christian Aid’s Present Aid
  Ethical gifts.
• Plain Lazy
  Ethical and fashionable clothing range including fair trade baby clothes!