I joined my local Buy Nothing group several years ago. The official group changed some, so now it’s my community gifting group. The idea is the same. When posting a gift, it’s best to explain why you need it or how you plan to use it. People get creative on selecting a recipient. Some people use number generators, name generators, tell a story regarding the item up for grabs and someone in the family chooses, the possibilities are endless.

Over the years, I have received the following:

• Press on nails for my teen with a Mary Kay lotion thrown in because the other person never picked it up
• A new roll of upholstery fabric, beige with green flowers, for our kitchen chairs
• Wandering jew clippings that looked like they wouldn’t make it, but are doing well
• An original painting by a non-famous artist that teen daughter snatched from me for her her bedroom but was supposed to go in my craft room
• A Frida Kahlo print–the one one with monkeys–for the same craft room because she’s my spirit artist
• Eight pound dumbbells because five pounders aren’t heavy enough
• Fresh thyme to make thyme-infused simple syrup for my Thanksgiving cocktail
• Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, because this was a rare for me case of having watched both movies before reading the book and that’s one I haven’t read yet
• Two new chew toys because the puppy didn’t have any and we just got into town from picking him up
• Calligraphy set consisting of a quill with a jar of ink because not only am I a Potter Head, but I’m also a librarian and enjoy writing
• A WORKING PORTABLE VINTAGE TYPEWRITER because I’m a writer, learned to type on a typewriter, I need it in my life, and I can also use it to teach lessons at my school library

I like to think my writing skills have helped me receive these items. I have actually used each gift and appreciate them. The book is on my TBR pile, but you know, TBRs are works in progress.

I have also gifted items: a shadow box style end table for a baby’s room, girl’s rain boots with white daisies, Spider-Man sleeping bag, cardboard egg cartons fresh from the recycling bin, a tie-dyed backpack, Easy Bake Oven-only used twice, new black steel-toed work shoes, bag of women’s clothes, bags of kids’ clothes, bedding, fluorescent light bulbs, a sparkly mermaid fish tail blanket, other items I can’t remember.

They say it’s better to give than to receive, but in this case, I think it’s both.