You can't buy me love, but you can give me a hug!

Our gathering on Saturday was great. Lots of people attended despite the icky weather. Last year only 2 people not directly involved in the workings of SATS came. We definitely surpassed that. The SATS band showcased a new song, in the style of the prog rock/new wave music of the 80s, but in a good way. A really good way. It was a great song.

We watched Sarah McLachlan's music video for her song World On Fire. You should watch it. The first time I watched it, I cried. There are a few versions, so make sure you watch the one that opens with Sarah sitting on a chair, playing the guitar, not the one that's concert footage.

We also watched one of Rob Bell's Nooma videos, about how rich we North Americans are. One rather shocking fact he revealed was that, for the amount of money Americans spend on ice cream in one year, world-wide poverty could be eradicated! And yet, it's not. Crazy.

So yeah, this gave us some things to think about this holiday season, like what should we spend our money on? Is it worth it to give someone something they don't really need or want while someone else goes hungry? Some ethical options are that you could buy Fair Trade goods, or donate to a cause in someone's name. For my birthday last year, one of my aunt's made a donation to the World Wildlife Fund in my name, to protect boreal forests. It was one of the coolest and most thoughtful gifts I'd ever received.