It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — or should I say the “holiday season.” This is supposed to be a time for giving presents, but I’ve noticed a need for a different kind of giving. Lots of people I know are not feeling so cheery, and no new scarf or scented candle is going to help that. So – here comes the sap, oozing out like I tapped a maple tree in springtime – I’d like to argue for giving what you can’t buy, like kindness and love and friendship, which are much more valuable than anything advertised on television. No, the recession is not the inspiration for this, although if financial strains get more people on board, then so be it. In honor of people who just don’t feel the love imperative to the holiday season, I’m going to get down to the basics of giving, and provide a few suggestions for giving outside the box.