My friend Hannah and I were discussing shopping over lunch one day – bear with me here for a second – and how when most of us shop for Christmas, we are very often not intentional about what we buy. It is so easy to get caught up in making sure everyone receives a gift, or hitting a certain price range, that we end up purchasing frivolous trinkets that no one actually needs (or wants). We quickly came to the decision that buying for buying’s sake is simply wrong.

The “Deliberate Shopping Theory” does not end there. What if we could contribute to a noble cause through our purchases? Even when buying something as commonplace as Christmas cards.

Case in point: I believe art and art education are very important. That is why I have made it an annual tradition to purchase my Christmas cards from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA). Not only do I enjoy the edgy, unique designs, but I feel pretty darn good about supporting the MOCA, even if in a small way.

Santa Worm!

There are actually a number of causes that allow for support in a similar manner. Outside of the MOCA, UNICEF, Audubon, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and (Product) Red are just few organizations that raise funds via the sale of greeting cards.

Clearly, this is only one simple method of progressing toward redeeming the shopping routine. But, I think it’s a good example of how easy it can be to score some fresh finds, while simultaneously participating in spreading good will toward men.