This Christmas sort of snuck up on me. The past three months have brought a lot of change and frenzy into our lives and that hasn’t been simplified by the holiday season.
I love buying presents for people, taking care to think of what they’ll love and use, not content to buy people obligatory junk just because I’m supposed to. Even if that means giving socks.
Elie Wiesel once wrote, and I’m paraphrasing, that hope is a gift we give to our fellow man. I came across that sentiment today while researching this post and I was struck by the honesty in his words, particularly as they apply to the Macy’s Heart of Haiti campaign.
Giving hope. How beautiful a thought.
That’s exactly what Macy’s does for the artisans it employs. By helping these artisans sell their one of a kind works of (he)art, Macy’s gives hope to the creators and their families and communities in Haiti. I’m reminded of that every time I pass by the recycled Metal Arches Bowl on my dining room table.
The bowl is made from metal drums found around the island, and is hand-created by a skilled metal worker, much like this beautiful lantern:
I know, I know, Christmas is in two days. You probably have all of your shopping done and wrapped and all that’s left for you to do is nestle the children in their beds and don your kerchiefs and all that jazz.
But! On the chance that you’re like me and still not done with your holiday shopping because there’s that one person on the list who stymies your giving every single year, consider a gift that gives hope.
Macy’s Heart of Haiti has been giving economic support to Haitian artisans ever since the devastating earthquake which hit the island nation in 2010. The country of Haiti is rich in the arts and, despite being the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, metal artisans, papier mache artisans, and skilled crafts people are anxious to work and earn a living to support their families.
The Macy’s Heart of Haiti collection (and the Rwanda Path to Peace baskets) are simultaneously unique and useful items that recipients will love because there’s more to the package than just a present.
There’s a story behind each one and a person whose life is changed by the purchase of that item.
There’s hope.
This is my third year participating in the Macy’s Gifts That Give Back Campaign through Everywhere Society, and its one that I hope never to miss simply because of what it means to the Haitian (and Rwandan) artisans who are able to support their families by selling their wares on a global stage. While this is a sponsored post, all opinions and feelings are my own.