The Gift of Gifting

I have been told that I'm a good gift giver. And though I know that blah, blah, commercialism, blah, blah taking the Christ out of Christmas, blah, blah, I still like getting people presents and I sure as heck like receiving them too. So I have decided that as the mood strikes me as we move towards December 25th, I will present some gift ideas. Take them, use them for your loved ones or even your boss. Ha ha ha snort ha.

The first in our delightful series of all good gifts involves one of my most favouritest radio stations - Jazz FM @ 91.1 on your FM dial. They are listener supported, kind of like PBS but with way less Sarah Brightman specials. They have 4 minutes per hour of advertising - 4 minutes...per hour...!! They are playing 24 hours a day, broadcast from Toronto into South Western Ontario and Upstate New York, feature just about every kind of jazz you can imagine, support local artists and up and coming students, aaaaand they have informative, witty and knowledgeable on air personalities. So much goodness.

Now, twice a year they do a fundraising kick for a couple of weeks so they can keep playing music and not ads. Also unlike PBS or TVO they have ridiculously enticing incentives to donate. There are a couple I would like to highlight as fantastic gifts.

1. a wee donation of 750$ will get you or someone of your choo-choo-choosing a half an hour of hosting time on a Sunday evening. Yup, that's a half hour radio show - you pick the songs and I think you get to pick one of their on air personalities to co-host with you and you get a cd of your thirty minutes of fame. Wow.
2. a Jazz Safari - I'll just copy in the info from their website about this fantasmic deal - Roundtrip economy class airfare for two (2) from Toronto to New Orleans. Departs Toronto January 15th, 2010. Departs New Orleans January 17th, 2010. Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers for two (2). 4-star hotel accommodations in The French Quarter (vicinity) based on double occupancy. Check-in January 15th, Check-out January 17th. Club admissions on The Jazz Safari on January 15th, 2009 (maximum of four club admissions per person on designated event route). A tax receipt in the amount of $2, 000 CDN.
   

Um, so I'm not sure why you're not on their website or calling them (1 800 811 2400) to donate right.now. and pick up some great gifts. This fundraising campaign runs until November, 22, 2009.

(N.B. didn't lstew co-op in radio? didn't she compete at musicfest canada with her high school jazz choir?)