Pay no money down — or ever: Annual exchange slashes consumption, multiplies delight

By Debora Gordon for Ashland.news

Hundreds of Ashlanders came bearing belongings to the Historic Ashland Armory Sunday afternoon, only to leave a few hours later will all-new (to them) belongings, many soon to be passed on as gifts to others.

Ashland resident Jeff Golden, now a state senator, was host of the Jefferson Exchange on Jefferson Public Radio in 2001 and thinking about the Black Friday shopping frenzy the day after Thanksgiving.

He wondered what could be done instead. “We talked about Buy Nothing Day, but it left out the gifting aspect,” Golden recalled Sunday. “We experimented with a few formulas.” The Ashland Abundance Swap was then born, taking place at several other venues until arriving at the Historic Ashland Armory.

After taking off 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic, the swap swung back into action in 2023.

About 15 to 20 people, on average, volunteer to help set up tables and run the event.

An average of about 400 people come to participate. Each brings three items that have practical or aesthetic value that someone might like to receive as a gift.

“We also have a process for people meeting each other and selecting items to take away, and use as gifts or make use of for themselves,” Golden explained. “The reason we do it at this time of year is that we’re trying to replace the holiday gift buying season at the mall. And it just clicked; people come back year after year.”

This year, Golden gifted a computer printer and two mugs (one from Cuba and one made in Mt. Shasta), as well as copies of books he has written. He emphasizes giving objects in good and new condition, as in the past, some items were not suitable, such as quarter-full paint cans, and they had to filter things at the door.

The process has several rounds, with each round corresponding to the color of the name tag handed out at the entrance, when those with that color pick one gift from any of the tables spread out across the auditorium. There are three rounds, and about a 10-minute performance by Elbow Room Taiko about halfway through the afternoon.

Audrey Richards, a first-timer, came early. “I actually came here early and to drop off my stuff and I saw that they were setting up and I guess I volunteered to become a volunteer,” she said. “I love this idea. I wanted to come last year and I was sad that I missed it. I always feel like I have so much stuff and my house is small, but like we’re always like ‘ohh, I could use that. I could use that’ — but then, somebody else could use it now. I’m trying to build community in Ashland.”

Volunteer Layla David volunteered last year. “I feel it’s really like the spirit of Christmas,” she said. “I love the eco-friendliness of it, the lower impact on the earth and sharing the abundance with people who are crazy about something we’re ready to let go of …. There’s just a spirit in the air when people come in and are looking at things and admiring things. I love the sharing economy. So that’s something that I’m really wanting to spread more.”

Zoey Kauth is a long-timer at the Abundance Swap, with more than 20 years of attendance. “The spirit of community coming together and celebrating the abundance of the community and the, the gifts just flow out and the stories flow out and they inspire people and, and all sorts of people come,” Kauth said. “I’ve seen a lot of kind of miracles happen at these events, such as this little 8-year-old girl. And walking out the door … she said ‘my daddy’s gonna be so happy when he sees what I got him for Christmas.’”

Nicole, who did not give her last name, and her son Emmet came to the Abundance Swap for the second time this year. “Last year, I got a couple gifts for people and then I got a charcoal drawing,” Nicole said. “I don’t know who had had drawn it, but it’s gorgeous. I love it.”

Kayla Starr is a longtime participant. “I was at the very first abundant swap (nearly) 25 years ago,” Starr said. “I’m here because it’s a very powerful political statement for me to not buy newly manufactured things. I donated a new pair of slippers and a new hat and some pillow covers. I got a picnic basket for my daughter, a book and a down jacket.”

Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham was also in attendance. The swap is “an incredible tradition that we have here in Ashland where we come together and take a pause during the holidays and appreciate both our abundance and gift-giving spirit and being in community together,” she said.

She said she has come for many years. “I used to bring my children when they were little. It was a great opportunity to teach about gift giving and to teach about the importance of the gift and not the importance of where the gift came from or that it was brand new. It was a great opportunity for me as a parent to really open up a conversation about gift giving with my children. This is one of the many ways that Jeff Golden has been just an incredible community leader, him and the people who put it on every year. And I think we’re just really lucky.”

The swap continued with another round of gift-selection, before inviting everyone, regardless of name tag color, to get one more gift and to remember the giving spirit of the swap and the season.

Debora Gordon is a writer, artist, educator and non-violence activist who recently moved to Ashland from Oakland, California. Email her at debora.ashlandnews@gmail.com.

Related story: Swap till you drop at annual gift exchange event (Dec. 6, 2024)