Mondaily, gifts without commercials

[ellenmillion]

I am feeling seriously over-advertised-at.

Black Friday! Gray Saturday! Cyber Monday! Buy! Buy! One day only! No one will love you if you don't buy them presents! Expensive presents! If you fail to shop like a fiend, you are single-handedly responsible for the failure of the economy! Buy! Buy MY stuff! Sale! Save! Buy more! 50% off! Free shipping! BUYYYYYYY!

No grief to anyone on my friendslist, of course - I KNOW, it's that time of year that tends to justify the rest of the year's lame sales, and it's just smart marketing to take advantage of the fact that everyone is in this crazy, materialistic frenzy. What better time to remind people that buying from you is a better option than blowing their cash on cheap Walmart gifts? I did that, too... and I am SO glad I feel no obligation to do that myself this year.

I like buying presents when I find something perfect and spontaneous, not at Christmas or birthdays (which I am wretched at), but just randomly, because something occurs to me. But oh, I hate the stress of HAVING to get something for someone, because otherwise I am a lame and awful friend or family member. Then, I spend too much - or too little - or I'm pretty sure it's an awful, generic, gift with no meaning or I worry that the humor comes across wrong, or the fit is wrong, or it's something they already have and it's this big, stressy, not-fun, last-minute obligation.

I wash my hands of buying gifts this year.

But I like giving gifts.

So, here's what I'd like to do for my holiday spirit of giving:

Give me a word. Any word! I'll even accept phrases. But, just one! And I will give you that word back, in some new form. It might show up in your email, or posted as a reply to your comment, or it might show up in your snail mail box. If you ask for a pony, you might get a haiku about a pony, or a pony icon, or a pony short story, or a pony sketch, or a photograph of a pony, or an MP3 of a pony neighing, or anything that my crazy brain comes up with. I might even send you a pony, you never know. It might not be in time for Christmas, or New Years, depending on my work schedule. I might mash up a couple of words together into a short story for a few of you together, or I might undertake a massive new painting to your prompt. But whatever it is, and whenever you get it, it will be straight from me to you, created while I'm thinking about you.

There are no strings - you may post this and do the same, but you don't have to. You can filter your offer to just a few people, or fling it open to the unwashed masses. (I'm trying the unwashed masses method at first, but reserve the right to close this entry if it gets too out of hand. :P)

Please! Give me a word that I can give back to you. :)

Comments

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

wind

care to give me one?

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I would! I choose fire, to answer an element with another.

I give you a word.

[melinda-lynn.livejournal.com]

I give you Hope.

Re: I give you a word.

[ryokomusouka.livejournal.com]

I wish LJ had a like button.

[pers1stence.livejournal.com]

dancer

:)

This year, I am limiting my christmas present list to five people. my parents and my niece and nephew and one other friend who always sends me elaborate, fun Xmas packages. Actually, that's not true -- 8 people, because I will give some sort of food treat to the other three members of my office team but it may be a homemade treat or something else fairly simple (and inexpensive).

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

ACEO - Dancer

If you'd like the original, remind me of your address and I'll send it your way! :) Actually, send me your address regardless... >.>

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Cats and chess! ^_^

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Or just games in general!

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Just one word? Hmmm, what word can I pack the most freight into?

I give you "constellation." And with it, I give you the hope that you will have time and peace in which to go out stargazing, and weather to make it truly miraculous.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

For you? Constellations. If you'd like the original, PM or email me your address! :)

[minor-architect.livejournal.com]

Gems.

(Because I have a taste for expensive words. And that's just how I roll. ;)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

4"x6" - Gems

Send me your address and I will send you the original! (This was one of my favorites so far. :))

[kittrel.livejournal.com]

Feathers.

I always loved feathers and stones, they're free little souvenirs from nature. :3 I'd be happy if everyone gave me feathers and rocks for Christmas! I'm not lying!

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I love feathers! This painting made me think of one. If you'd like the original, just send me your address!

[allykat.livejournal.com]

Expectant. ;)

[aldersprig.livejournal.com]

This is sooo neat.

Growth.


Growth is my word for 2011.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

ACEO - Growth

That's an awesome word for 2011. If you'd like this original, just send me your address! :)

[mathhobbit.livejournal.com]

Intricate

No response necessary; my wants have already been fulfilled by the exercise of choosing a word that's peculiar to me at this point in time.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

ACEO - Intricate

If you'd like the original, send me your address! :) :)

[marina-bonomi.livejournal.com]

I give you...

Contentment.

Less ebullient than joy, sure, but peaceful and long-lasting.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I loved this word.


3" x 4" - Contentment

I will send you the original! :)

[fatfred.livejournal.com]

Satyr!

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

An ACEO for you! If you'd like the original, send me your address! :)

[bkwrrm-tx.livejournal.com]

SO agree with you about the over-advertising. Can I throw a wrench at the 'too early for Christmas decoration and songs', too?

My word?

/thinks/

I'm going to go with resiliant. :-)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Resiliant is an awesome word.

If you'd like the original, send me your address! :)

[fireriven.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a wonderful idea!

Firebird.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

A Firebird for you! (I had started a story, but it wandered around in circles and never came to anything. Alas!)


3x4" - "Firebird"

Send me your address if you'd like the original! :)

[kelkyag]

Sunshine!

And this is an excellent idea.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

A bright and very happy painting came from this!


ACEO - "Sunshine"

It is even happier in person! Look for it in the mail soon! :)

[sibylle]

I am not creative enough to do anything like this by a long shot, but its an awesome idea!

Word, word, hmm ...


Mistral.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I flailed on this one for a while, but this one finally spoke to me:



If you'd like the original, send me your address!

[jenny_evergreen]

I'm tempted to go with thoughtful. :) But I think I'll go with...
Bird. :)

And I may just do the same thing. Maybe. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

My notes were so messy, I thought the prompt was birds. So you get more than one!


ACEO - "Birds"

Send me your address and I will mail you the original! :)

[hawkwolf.livejournal.com]

Ooo, I like this idea. I love giving people things, but there is only so far my money will stretch. I'll probably do it too.

My word is: Owls

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

This one was fun - and apparently not entirely abstract, since three people independently said 'that looks like owls.' :)
If you'd like the original, send me your address!

[jolantru.livejournal.com]

Strength. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

If you'd like the original, send me your address! :) Thank you for the word!

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Rock Tender

(The sheltering aspect of myths in the Kuleilyi divination disks)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

From this, I got this ACEO:



I will send you the original! :)

[rowyn]

I give you peace. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I give YOU peace! This scan doesn't do it justice - this is on gold scratchboard, and the bubbles really pop when you turn it in the light. Send me your address and I will mail it to you! :)

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

green

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

3"x4" - Green

If you'd like the original, send me your address! I can also punch this down to ACEO size without losing much, if you'd prefer that size.

[dormantdrake.livejournal.com]

My word: love

(okay, I was originally going to say 'feather', but someone else already had. :D )

Give me a word in return, since I don't plan on posting this myself?

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

The word I give you is: curl.

[hailerro.livejournal.com]

I've not read all the comments ...

My word is 'smile' (and if someone already suggested that then I'll pick 'Wolves').

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

For you, a Green Smile!


3"x4" - "Green Smile"

Send me your address and I will mail you the original! :)