Giving Back

"So many presents!" we say excitedly. "What else will come from my Neofriends? What will I give to them?" we wonder, with pockets full of Neopoints just waiting to be spent.

Hold on! Not so fast! In this time of gift-getting and gift-giving—is there something we're forgetting? Everyone knows there is a problem, but no one has acknowledged it. Who is the one who gave to us first? Who is it that we should be giving back to?

That's right! The Money Tree! Have you forgotten your dear friend from your Newbie days? I haven't. I'm sure many older Neopians have seen what is going on at the Money Tree lately, but they choose to ignore it. Those poor Newbies know of nothing else: junk, rotten boots and shoes, algae, fungus, rotten items—you name it, it's there! "Why should I care?" you ask. "I don't need The Money Tree anymore. I'm rolling around in my Neopoint riches!"

Fine, grand, congratulations to you! And many more! You have enough Neopoints to feed your pets and then some! I'll admit that I've had my doubts about the Money Tree and its usefulness, but do you mean to say that you never once used the tree when you needed it most? I know it's hard to believe, but you were a Newbie once! We all were! Think of all of the Newbies who have just come into Neopia, struggling to care for just one Neopet. They're not too good in the Games Room yet, so their bank account is borderline empty. (Sound familiar?) Where do they turn when the Soup Faerie turns them away for having more than 3,000 NP? Their Neopet is starving. Their Neopet is unkempt and dirty. And most of all, my friends, their Neopet is *bored*. Where should they find some food, grooming items, books, games, or toys, when they're trying to save up enough Neopoints to buy their pet some other fancier item? (Have you caught my drift yet?)

The Money Tree is a place to donate items; whether you no longer want these items or truly feel like they will help a fellow Neopian is a different story. I do my part in helping keep the Money Tree clean by snagging as many boots and junk items as I can in order to better the chances of some other Neopian grabbing an item they need. I don't rely on the Money Tree to provide enough for me to care for my pets anymore; however, it has helped me (and my pets!) greatly in the past. We should use these past experiences, whether good or bad, to turn the Money Tree into something it is very capable of becoming! It could be beautiful! Overloaded with branches full of Neggs and Dubloons and rare plushies! (Hey—it's possible, Neopians!) It is sad to see it turning into a dump. Speaking of, did you know there's a place for your trash?

If you no longer want an item and feel it is absolutely useless to you—as in, you would not sell it, you would not gift it, you would not trade it or use it—then *why* donate it to the Money Tree? If you go fishing and end up with a heaping pile of Soggy Old Boxes and Rotten Driftwood, don't donate them to the tree! What use will these items give to a Neopet in need? Obviously these junk items will have the same fate they had with you if they're accidentally grabbed by some poor Neopet hoping to take a bite of that yummy omelette that lies next to them! So, naturally, these items that end up on the tree stay there and take up space that could be filled by more useful items, such as Dramatic Meepit Eye Shadow for grooming, or Neo Crackers for snacking, or plushies for playing... Instead of wasting space, how about sending those funky items where they belong?

To the trash! Discard them! Save the Newbies the trouble of finding a place to store their new found junk. Prevent the worst thing that could happen: RE-DONATION of junk back to the Money Tree! "One man's trash is another man's—" you begin. No! It's not treasure. What use will that hungry Lupe have for an Old Rotten Left Boot? Save their starving, disheveled, and BORED pets! Donate toys! Donate items you would like to receive. If you truly feel these items aren't junk, why don't you display them in your gallery for all to see? No? Hear me out.

While we with older accounts have bank accounts bubbling over with Neopoints, stock portfolios exceedingly high, and Neofriends to help us achieve our site dreams—Newbies are struggling to do all of those things at once. Let's make it easier on them by cutting out one of their biggest problems: a junky Money Tree. (And Newbies, we'll need your help, too!) Try not to donate items that are deemed useless to you. Can you spare a Neopoint or two? Slap a bag of Neopoints onto that Tree! At one point in time, I'm sure the Money Tree meant something to you. Well, let's give back by cleaning it up and making it a place that Neopians of all ages can come and take something away that their pets will enjoy. After all, this is what the month of Celebrating is about, right?

Keep the Money Tree part of the beautiful land of Neopia. After all, you wouldn't want your Owner to try to feed you a Petrified Bone, would you? ;)