Group says think about not giving gifts for Christmas

An advisor on relationships says now is the time for Iowans to have “that” talk with relatives to plan Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. Jerry Iverson, coordinator of the Sioux City-based “Alternatives for Simple Living,” says gift giving isn’t important; spending time with loved ones is.Christmas Day is exactly three months away and Thanksgiving is less than two months off. Iverson recommends planning family gatherings now, instead of waiting until the last minute. He says some may see the act of not giving gifts for the December holiday as taboo, unloving or unpatriotic.Iverson suggests taking a portion of the money normally dedicated to gift giving and donating it to charity instead. He says his agency offers inexpensive postcards and stationery to promote the alternatives of giving which say things like “Bearing Gifts Does Not Make Us Wise” or “Buy Me Nothing. I’ll Still Love You.” Iverson says some relatives will be hesitant to break with long-standing traditions when it comes to Christmas.For more information or to order a free catalog, call 800 821-6153 or surf the web to “www.SimpleLiving.org”.