TODAY'S TURN: Buy with meaning

THE ISSUE:
When you buy a vase at an import store conglomerate, do you really feel connected to the fingers that actually touched the clay? When you pick up a fabulous bamboo chest at the mall department store, do you put much thought into the brains behind the beauty? Chances are, probably not.

That's not a dig, just human nature. It's natural for us to put more value into items that we feel connected to. That's why homemade trinkets mean more than store bought lavishness. It's why that crude little drum you bought on vacaton from a native Jamaican means more than finding a more polished version in the states. That personal connection holds huge amounts of value. Faceless products hold less value and we end up feeling detached from the very things we surround ourselves with.

THE GOOD TURN:
It's one of my new favorite stores. 10,000 Villages works with over 100 artisan groups in 30 countries around the globe to bring you handcrafted products directly from the artisans themselves. The company builds relationships with thousands of individual artisans and passes those relationships on to you. Distributors, shippers, wholesalers, retailers - none of them get in the way. It's just you and the person who made it. The artisan gets a fair price for their work and you get to learn more about who made that lovely sculpture that will soon be resting on your mantle.

10,000 Villages has 160 stores around the U.S. and a decent web site for browsing and buying. Toys, jewelry, wall hangings, even musical instruments, These are truly unique gifts - a deeper meaning comes free with each purchase.

Click here to do this Good Turn.