Alternative Gift Ideas for an Ethical Christmas
Buy Cards and Gifts from Charities and Aid Organisations
Sep 24, 2009
To counteract the materialism and frenzy of the Christmas rush, there are great alternative gift ideas and charity cards that will channel money into projects and communities that really need help.
Finding different and interesting ideas to suit each person is a lovely way to think about who they are and what they really like. It's too easy to simply buy up a ton of impersonal gifts and then assign each one to the next on the list, which does nothing more than satisfy that commercial compulsion to buy everyone a present from the High Street.
Sending Charity Cards
Whether buying cards from international aid and relief agencies such as Unicef, the Red Cross or Fair Trade, or from national charities at home, the customer's money is going to good use and increases the size of the charitable pot in order to do as much good as possible. Businesses can choose to send corporate charity Christmas cards to their clients and direct some of the company profits towards those who need support and aid to make their own lives more livable.
Making one's own cards on recycled paper is a great way of showing some care and thought in seasonal greetings Everyone loves something that shows the sender behind the gift or the card, and it's a very personal touch that can be missing in a shop bought card.
Make a Charity Donation this Christmas
Donate the cost of cards and postage to a charity, international aid or relief agency and then let people know the plan so they know their greeting is still coming but in a different format. An email with an e-card, and a link to the organisation is a good way of doing this. If this donation is a kickstart to a fundraising drive, then invite others to join in too.
Ideas for Alternative Gifts from FairTrade, International Aid and Relief Agencies
Here are a few ideas for excellent presents which channel much needed funds to others who are living in poverty at home or overseas. The ideas are often very different to what's usually given at Christmas, but they're guaranteed to get people talking and finding out more about the source of the gift. If the plan is to sponsor education or help someone out in another part of the world, then make a certificate as the gift to a friend to show what has been done in their name.
- Buy a goat for a family in Africa
- Buy resources for children in poverty
- Sponsor a child's education
- Source ethnic gifts from small fair trade co-operatives overseas where profits are shared equally between the workers. Think of chocolate, coffee, toys and clothing - the options are endless
- Set up an ethical savings bank account for a young family member
- Plant a tree in someone's name with a map marking the spot. Some areas of conservation and regeneration are encouraging people to do this to repopulate the area with native trees
- Buy a subscription to a journal or magazine that explores the social, political or environmental issues in the world
- For a Christmas wedding, consider a wedding gift list from Oxfam Unwrapped
- Buy someone in India an operation to remove cataracts
- Take a visit to Alternative Gifts International and browse
There are so many alternative gift ideas around, and so much help that charities, fair trade, international aid and relief agencies need on an ongoing basis. This is just a short list to kickstart the search for better things to buy than mass produced consumerism so as to prepare for an ethical Christmas and hopefully to extend that resolve into the New Year. Whether a gift is less than a pound or more than fifty, every little bit helps and is a chance to put something back in to the global pot.
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