Spread The Joy

It's no secret that over the last few years, I've been wanting to get away from giving gifts out of obligation.  Instead, I keep my eye out the entire year for things I think my family might like.  Things like the journal I bought my mom so she could keep record of all their travels.  Or the cutting board I found months after she had mentioned she wanted one that was smooth and looked like stainless steel (not those bumpy ones that can trap germs).  Last spring, I was listening to Stuart McLean talk about a small company in Toronto.  Before the owner of the company, Jeff Woodrow, could finish explaining how he came up with the idea, I knew I would be buying one for my brother, Britt. 

The company is called Joy T-Shirts and the process is simple...you buy a shirt that has someone else's face on it.  You are told their name, age, where they live and their passion in life.  Once you buy a t-shirt, you submit a photo of yourself and your info.  Jeff sketches a drawing from the picture and now your face is on a shirt for someone else to wear.  As the website says, "When you wear your shirt you are encouraged to think about that person and how your everyday actions can affect others and the world we live in....It is about taking an active stance against racism and discrimination while being an advocate for peace and equality... because in someway or another, we are all connected!"

It is just such a fantastic concept - total strangers wearing YOU on their shirt and when one of their friends asks, "Who's that on your shirt?", they'd reply, "This? Oh this is so-and-so.  She lives in This City and her passion in life is making people laugh".  I just simply love it.

I bought Britt a shirt with Baird Makinson's face on it.  In turn, I sent in Britt's photo and info.  Just today, I received an email telling me that Britt's shirt was finally ready for sale (I decided what Britt's passion in life would be - he doesn't know that I wrote the snippet about the cats, but it's true so whatevs).

So go ahead...order a shirt for yourself or your hubby or your grandpa.  Start spreading the joy, people :-)