Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

[meg-e]

Im trying to get into the Adbusters "buy nothing christmas" this year. I havent completely succeeded but I have made some limoncello, panforte and some little cookies things to give to friends and relatives.

It got me to thinking that Buy nothing christmas has a similar philosophy to the spirit of Coffeesnobs. That is not buying crap coffee for the sake of coffee and believing that with a bit of effort you can have the best coffee youve ever had and make it yourself (even if some of us arent there yet).

So I thought about some coffee related things CSers could do to reduce unnecessary consumption for the sake of buying people crap they dont need (apart from not giving people anything at all - also an option but Im not at that stage, I LOVE giving presents).

Id love it if others added to the list. Here goes:

-Roasting and giving the beans as gifts
-Buying someone a cheap popcorn maker and some green beans and writing and "instruction manual" (Im doing this for my Dad - hell absolutely love it!)
-Making a flourless chocolate espresso cake and giving to someone with the recipe on a card.
-Making an espresso syrup for deserts and iced coffees and giving away in small bottles


Cheers,

Meg

[g00se]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Bag up your used coffee grounds and give to the gardener in the family labeled as "Espresso Garden Mulch"  

[robusto]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Mmmmm.... I dont know if the people in my world are quite ready for that sort of Christmas. Ive been called a lot of things, but Scrooge aint one of them. Yet.

Personally, I would love there to be a Christmas free of gifts, the mediocre useless ones and the high class ones too. But Im on my own in my circles with that one.

Giving things coffee will be OK for some, but could appear a little on the ho-hum side for others. Ill be interested in the responses.

--Robusto

[meg-e]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Mmmmm.... I dont know if the people in my world are quite ready for that sort of Christmas.  Ive been called a lot of things, but Scrooge aint one of them. Yet.

Good Point! Lots of people in my world arent either...

Ha which reminds me - 2 of my friends no longer speak because one bought the other a goat for an African village (I think it was african) rather than a regular christmas present.

Im thinking they had other issues as well tho...

[askthecoffeeguy]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Im down with avoiding the hype for Christmas.  

Id much rather cook intimate meals for friends, and drink some great wine together, than go into debt for the sake of some feigned once per year intimacy...

Although, were going camping with 30 mates over new years, and Im supplying 5kg of  single origin beans, along with  the Rocky and the Bezzera - to keep everyone happy while were away!

And my wife and I have been furiously hand-making gifts, beautiful felted Steiner dolls, and home made cards, with photos of the little one that we have printed off ourselves.

Id much rather share the love than max out the old credit card

Thankfully our circle of friends are like-minded individuals, Im not certain that it would work for all..

[mbg963]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Im sort of playing along...Ill roast up some beans for my neighbours but I have to say I indulged and chose my gifts this year. A Pullman tamper from the family and a no bum portafilter from Coffeeparts via a Kris Kringle.

And thats about all I think Im getting or want

[Dimal]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Yep,

Fresh roasted coffee makes a great gift providing the recipients understand how to get the best out of it. When Im giving coffee to friends and relos who havent been on the Chrissy list before, I always make sure they understand the basics so as not to ruin such a priceless gift.

Its a great way to get others to come into the fold of coffee roasting too... Just today gave a couple of 250g bags of my current fave blend to a couple of nice friendly people up at our local Dental Clinic. We got talking about one thing and another and before too long the subject of coffee roasting was broached . Had em hooked in no time and now with their pressies tucked securely under their arms, I am looking forward to hearing about their impressions of what great coffee really is. Always great to see the passion start to flow ;D

Mal.

[lucinda]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Sounds great in theory but as I just got a grinder for xmas... well... hmmm...

Also young grumpy may throw a fit if I didnt get her something.

[meg-e]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Sounds great in theory but as I just got a grinder for xmas... well... hmmm...

Also young grumpy may throw a fit if I didnt get her something.

Oh Lucinda, a grinder that you really want and NEED is different!

Surely young grumpy would cope with an African Village being given a goat for her christmas present?

Im thinking of how I would have coped with that as a kid... hmmm nope cant imagine it going down well!

[COFFEECHASER]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

My Aunty was telling me the other day how her 18yo Daughter, who is very enviromentally conscious, suggested for her Christmas present to give money to Greenpeace or something similar. My Aunty happily agreed with "sure we can do that for your present" to which my cousin replied "Oh, I dont want that to be my present but to be on top of the normal stuff"

The best of both worlds! Maybe in a land where money actually does grow on trees

We have done what is suggested above and made presents. Roasted some coffee, but only for the people I know have grinders as I refuse to put the effort into roasting coffee and than grind it so it goes stale. Some Orange Pekoe Tea that we got from bean bay. Some chocolate coated Coffee beans that I roasted and my wife chocofied. My wife made some bags for them all that are quite funky and a friend who is a graphic artist for a magazine made us up some labels for us that were superb. So was much cheaper than a typical Christmas but effort and love went into it all so I expect people would appreciate it.

For the uncultured people of my family who arent into the finer things of the hot beverage world we bought into the commercialised Christmas gig. I would gladly let someone buy a goat for another country on my behalf thorugh TEAR or Oxfam but I just dont think everyone sees it this way. In the end for the few people we bought something for it really was just for the sake of getting them something and it will most likely just collect dust anyway.

But hey it is Christmas after all!

[askthecoffeeguy]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

If some zealous coffeegeek wanted to send me a home-made christmas puddding, I wouldnt say no to that!

And yes, when it comes to the little one, nothing is too good for her majesty - although, weve literally been inundated with presents (mainly clothes) for the little miss, and have hardly had to buy her anything at all in her first year of life - so yes, there is a time and place for giving, and no, it doesnt have to just be on birthdays and for christmas!

Blessings to all,


Pat

[grendel]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

This year we made up little packs with a tin of the Darjeeling tea, a bag of fresh coffee, some florentines and some shortbreads that Mrs Grendel made. Everyone has been getting those and so far all have been very pleased.

Mrs Grendel is VERY clever with the packaging and it looks better than most hampers on the market.

[Beanmeister]

Re: Buy Nothing Xmas for Coffeesnobs?

Any pics Grendel? I would love to shamlessly rip off any good packaging ideas!!