No matter what part of the world you hail from, it’s quite common to celebrate a diverse array of traditional and slightly quirky holidays throughout the year…come on, who doesn’t like to par-tay? It gives us a perfectly good excuse to loosen up, temporarily forget life’s pressing issues and drink ourselves silly (or so I’ve been told). Back in the day, special occasions warranted bestowing our friends and loved ones with the tender gift of a sincere smile and a pat on the back, but in today’s rampant consumerist culture, offering a similar heartfelt gesture might well cause you to get popped in the eye and potentially labeled as a thoughtless cheap-o. Ch-ch-ch-changes. It’s gotten so crazy out there that we’ve become programmed to expect a gift even if the brand new holiday we’ve decided to celebrate is exclusively reserved for dreadlocked gnomes with freckles and funky David Bowie eyes.
The spirit behind our gift giving habits
As the months pass, however, how many of us can actually remember what we received – and more importantly, 
how many of those shiny, special-occasion trinkets end up serving a life sentence in our already stuffed-to-the-gills landfills? Thirty years ago, barely anyone would have posed that question, and yet now it’s on the tongue of Londoners, Americans, Middle Easterners, Canadians and many populations in between. Somewhere along the line, commemorating holidays and birthdays – and the spirit behind our gift giving habits – got tangled up in a lot of lead-impregnated, non-recyclable plastic.
Your humble Agriculture Guide staff has pondered this very issue at great length and feels that in order to implement a fundamental change in such a common and widespread mind set, appealing and “do-able” alternatives must be laid forth. Good thing we’ve been flexing our cerebral muscles! 
We’re on a mission to restore the heart and soul to gift-giving, one reader at a time. Naturally, there will always be birthdays and festive occasions to celebrate, and while we aren’t suggesting that you use our strained environment as a convenient excuse to shaft the people on your gift list, we are huge proponents of putting more thought and long-term practicality into what you decide to wrap with a bow. As such, the following guide offers a few homegrown suggestions that will tickle the agricultural enthusiast and make any gift-recipient’s jaw gape wide open with unbridled delight.
LOOK TOWARD THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR INSPIRATION !
There are just 3 simple components to our full-proof gift giving formula that are guaranteed to knock the socks off of 
any human being with a pulse:
- Select a lush fruit/herb/vegetable bearing plant, one that will yield edibles that are particularly appealing to the gift recipient. Since this is a special present for them, think about what gets their taste buds flowing, not yours!
- Hunt down a few scrumptious recipes that will showcase the inherent yumminess of the plant you have chosen, or be willing to share a treasured family recipe that is reputed to make grown men weep. Don’t just print your chosen recipes off of the computer – spring for a few nice recipe cards and get someone with outstanding penmanship to transcribe the details of each in full glory.
- Round out your gift with a selection of recipe ingredients and basic resources (canning jars/spices/gelatin/pickling seasoning) that will motivate your recipient to tap into their inner Martha Stewart. You can always focus on one specific recipe and assemble the necessary tools and non-perishable ingredients around it for a dazzling and quite appealing display.
Your lucky duck will not only receive the gift of Mother Nature ..
Voila!! It’s the gift that keeps on giving – and it’s an interactive gift, to boot! There’s nothing terribly original about this idea, but because it hearkens back to the olden days, its general simplicity flies well above our normal radar. Nevertheless, there is great credence in the 
belief that the very best things in life come from the heart. Although everyone’s gotta eat, the truth of the matter is that everyone loves to eat. Your lucky duck will not only receive the gift of Mother Nature and enjoy their happy little food-bearing plant for many years to come, they will also relish the opportunity to create delicious condiments and lip-smacking recipes come harvest time. They’ll be more likely to actually play around in the kitchen thanks to your thoughtful inclusion of supplies, and if someone asks them, “What’d you get for Mother’s Day in 2009?” they’ll effortlessly declare, “The very best gift, ever!!!”
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Please comment, your perspective is appreciated 
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