Today I decided to place an order for my aunt's husband's Christmas present. Every year she tells me he wants the same thing - a selection of jams. For all I know, he would like a gift certificate for a strip club, but how would I know. She tells me what he wants and then every year, after Christmas, she tells me he loved what I sent.

So, there I was on the Harry and David website ordering the same old selection of jams. And how convenient - there he was, address and all, same old greeting, same old seleciton of jams. And I was just about to push the purchase button and then I remembered how we are supposed to be buying locally to reduce our carbon footprint.

"OK," I thought. Let me just go and check on jams made in Maryland - where he lives. And sure enough I found a website that swears all of its jams are made locally.

So this year, my aunt's husband, who incidentally is really called Larry Craig, will be getting the same old selection of jams, but without all of the negative impact of shipping from miles away.

Now I am off to look for something local for relatives in Boise, Idaho. Potato chips?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen