Crafting New Traditions for Sustainable Living Showing November 4th,2009 through January 3rd, 2010 Sponsored by BriarPatch Community Market and Shuniaa Yoga Studio.

Tradition: A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation. * According to the Center for a New American Dream, 87% of Americans believe holidays should be more about family and caring for others, not giving and receiving gifts, and 79% do not believe it’s necessary to spend a lot of money in order to have a fulfilling and enjoyable holiday.

Why then do most of us feel driven to the custom of frenzied consumerism during the holiday season, where buying material things from gifts to holiday décor take precedence over the spirit of peace, love and joy?

We all know that our current holiday culture takes a tremendous toll on our pocketbooks, stress levels, and our planet. The APPLE Centers current theme, Celebrating the Holidays: New Traditions for Sustainable Living, encourages us to explore how we can make the holidays more meaningful  for all of us, near and far, and gentler to the planet we are blessed to call our home.

This exhibit wishes to inspire us to take pause amidst relentless holiday schedules and to reflect upon how we can create a more intentional holiday season that places family, friends and community above consumption. Perhaps we will derive some new traditions of our own in the process. Come in for a while.

Take a walk through the exhibit and meander into the Decompression Lounge. Sip some tea or mulled cider while you add your personal thoughts and intentions to The APPLE Centers Wishing Tree. We invite you to join us in celebrating and welcome your participation as we collectively strive to recreate traditions that sustain current and future generations and our planet.

* The American College Dictionary