Too Many Mugs, Not Enough Friends

A couple of months ago I commented about how there are too many coffee mugs in the world. I wrote, "I think we should halt all manufacturing of coffee mugs and merely recycle the ones that are out there. Go to your local thrift store and pay a quarter each for mugs and give them as Christmas gifts to all of your friends and family. Include an assortment of teabags, homemade hot chocolate mix or favorite coffee."

I didn't flesh out the idea too much at the time because it was part of a post about not sharing "made up facts" on Facebook. (Did I just create a euphemism for lying?) Anyway, my proposal to recycle mugs caught the attention of Rita Lancaster. 

Rita and I, who had been acquaintances for several years, became social network and real-life friends shortly before my mug post when her husband, Dennis Lancaster, issued a "kissing your inner frog" Facebook challenge. Through the process, many of us bared our souls to friends, acquaintances and strangers. I had admitted, among other things, to having a reluctance to form friendships.

When Rita read my post, she seized the opportunity to give me a secondhand mug. It had special meaning to her and came right out of her cabinet. She filled it with an assortment of tea and coffee and wrote a thoughtful, personal and touching note to go with it. When I read the note to my husband, Allen, he said, "That should be the start of a movement."

Rita and I don't know if we'll start a movement, but we decided to start a Facebook page, "Too Many Mugs, Not Enough Friends," which we launched a couple of days ago. Through the page we want to encourage people to pass along secondhand coffee mugs, filled with something useful/practical/fun along with a heartfelt note. Maybe the mug would be special. Maybe the contents have extra meaning. Maybe it's just the thought the counts. It could be the new way donations are given by businesses and organizations to worthy causes....a check in a mug. What starts as a little ripple could turn into a big wave.

The recipient could already be a friend and the note would be personal with why that friend is appreciated. The recipient might be an acquaintance and the giver could congratulate him/her on an achievement or encourage in some way. The recipient might be a stranger, maybe someone in need. There are nearly endless possibilities when you consider it. We're hoping to inspire affordable, thoughtful gift-giving for Christmas and the forming of friendships throughout the year.

We don't want a lot of rules to interfere with the fun, but there is one ABSOLUTE rule. No new mugs, only USED mugs. Most of us have extra ones adding clutter, but if you don't, there are usually scores of them for cheap at thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales. Of course, mug givers don't have to join the Facebook page to use the ideas, but we do hope you'll like the page and invite your friends to like it, too. There are already creative ideas posted there.

 

One way or the other, be sure to let the recipient know you're giving them a recycled mug because of the overabundance of mugs and encourage them to do the same.

 

We would love it if you would mention your gifts – either what you give or what you get – on the page. Post your "mug shots," just the mugs or even better photos of those who are giving/receiving the mugs. Share your mug and friendship adventures to inspire others. Have fun. Recycle mugs. Make new friends because that's the ultimate goal of our project. Friendships have the power to change the world.