The idea of charitable giving at Christmas is nothing new. However, have you ever felt that because we live in Calgary, many in this country are expecting our city to give more than the rest?

Yes, there are a lot of people who are rich here, but for every oil-and-gas executive, there are three Metro columnists … er, I mean teachers, administrative assistants or small business owners who maybe aren’t.

While the idea of giving to charity is one that fills me with happiness and appreciation for my life, the pressure to do so can often be more stressful than Boxing Day shopping.

Simply put, not everyone in my life will understand why I got them a goat in Africa for Christmas. I wish that wasn’t the case, but I think anyone reading this has to admit that an entire family that would accept a charitable Christmas simply doesn’t exist. 

There’s a lot of pressure on Christmas Day  – and for people who don’t get to see their family every week, it’s really the only time to make an impression on the younger ones. Sadly, I’m afraid that a certificate, from their uncle whom they never see, declaring that a whale in the Atlantic Ocean now bears their name will only alienate me further from my nephew and niece.

One of the reasons I don’t have kids is because I’m terrified of them acting like little brats on Christmas morning.  What if I spent months trying to find them the perfect gift, only to find out what my toddler really wanted was an empty box and a roll of tape? 

Or worse, discovering that my tween, who likely annoys me throughout the year, is equally as annoying on Christmas Day. If I were to be responsible for a child, I would force them to serve supper at The Mustard Seed on Christmas Eve.  I bet that would make them think twice about rolling their eyes on December 25.

Besides the Mustard Seed, there are lots of things that you can do to ease your conscience and reduce the odds of the Occupy Calgary protesters setting up camp on your front lawn.  Buying local goes a surprisingly long way. This weekend, there’s the Market Collective in Kensington. Start there. You can also donate that sweater in your closet – you know, the one that still has the price tag on it – to a number of charities.

This year, I will be charitable. I’ll be donating all the money I’ve saved by not paying for the C-Train to numerous causes. But I’ll also be doing the best I can to find the perfect gift for the people I love, because sometimes it’s the people that have photos of you with hair and braces that deserve the most material gifts.