I usually go overboard at Christmas and spend far too much money. This year I have decided I want Christmas not to be about buying gifts that people do not need but about spending time with my family, and for the feeling of doing good for someone to extend beyond the festivities. Thats not to say I am not buying any gifts but I want to cut back on personal gifts. I have been thinking about sponsoring a child in another country on behalf of myself and all my family and giving this sponsorship as a gift to them. Can anyone recommend a charity that does this or does anyone have any similar ideas? Thanks
jane

I used World Vision a couple of years back. I bought things like a mosquito net or water filters as gifts from my children to their grandparents and aunts and uncles. You get to personalise the card with your gift, and inside it gives details of the gift and how it will help, so they make really nice presents. I know my family loved them and they did more good than the usual chocolates I buy them from the kids. They do a whole range of prices starting from about £7 if I recall, so I'm sure you'll find something to suit your budget.

www.musthavegifts.org

I think I'm going to use them again this year

That sounds like a great idea, I've adopted an otter in a sanctuary as a pressie before & I've never had such a fab reaction to a present.  Haven't they just launched an official appeal for Congo - maybe you could do something related to that?

I accept that I am a miserable mare who will probably get slated for this view, but I have to say I take issue with these kind of presents. If someone loves otters, then yes the otter is probably a great present, or if they have a particular interest in other areas ... fine.

However, if money is going to be given to a charity in MY name, then it should be my choice of charity, not what someone else deems worthy. Don't hide YOUR charity donations under MY name.

I'm not anti charity donations in any way, I donate to several on a monthly basis and to others on an ad hoc basis.

Now ... shall I press POST or not? LOL

M.

I'm with you Lily Mc   I have some charities I would go out of my way to donate to and others I'd not give to for various reasons.

And I know Christmas is the ideal time to give something truly meaningful to others less fortunate than ourselves, but TBH I wouldn't go down this route except for as mentioned by someone young children's gifts to relatives.  But not as a substitute for my own gifts to anyone I hold dear.

> Now ... shall I press POST or not? LOL
>

Lol, very brave!

I must admit, I did worry a little about how the gifts would be received, and I didn't want people to think I had done it to make myself feel smug and 'holier-than-thou'. That didn't happen at all, thankfully, and everyone seemed genuinely pleased with their gift card. I'm not sure they would have felt the same if it had been their main present from me and my OH though.

Edited to add - when I was at uni, instead of buying and sending eachother Christmas cards, we all donated £1 and bought a midwives kit. Much more worthwhile than cards

>I'm with you Lily Mc

Phew, not quite alone LOL!

M.

>we all donated £1 and bought a midwives kit.

For a midwife, I hope, and not an accessory for a student prank!

> For a midwife, I hope, and not an accessory for a student prank

LOL - now the prank idea - so MUCH value in that   Loving it!

> For a midwife, I hope, and not an accessory for a student prank! <IMG alt=eek src="/images/eek.gif">

I'm with you Lily Mc on the charity gift too.  I like to choose my own charity rather than have it dictated to me - however well meaning.

As it seems my entire family is on a money savings drive this year I'm giving eco gifts and looking at energy saving devices like Tap Magic and Standby Buster.  Anything that can help to reduce bills gets my vote and I'm buying a staple free stapler for me!!  Now I just need phone and iPod battery charger things for the teens - any clues where to look?

> I like to choose my own charity rather than have it dictated to me - however well meaning.

Isn't that the point of gifts though - to choose something for somebody else that you think they will enjoy/appreciate. I personally don't think of it as 'dictating'.

The eco-gifts are a good idea. My MIL and FIL would love something along those lines. I've bought my FIL a wind-up radio - right up his street

I'm with you there too Lily Mc.  It's not for me and I'd be so upset if someone bought me, say, a goat for Christmas.  Having said that, there is someone who I'd be happy to buy a cow for!

as im home with a litter im unable to do any christmas shopping....what joy......so im doing mine on line. Im struggling with  just one person...my SIL who is the original eco warrior and every year no matter what we get her, she finds a reason for it to be non enviro friendly or made in the wrong country bla bla bla.....well last xmas i was having non e of it so gave her 10lb of our home made sausages (our own  shot meat so she couldn spout on about where the meat came from) and that shut her up a treat!! LOL. Does anyone know any eco friendly on line sites, for those who wish to save the planet, where i could get a perfect gift this year?

Giver her another 10 lb this year Sam

Have you tried this site??

http://www.greenrewards.co.uk/

Sam I'm getting quite a lot from here, they have some good energy saving ideas too.  The other option is to put some credit behind the counter at a local farm shop for her or buy a gift box from one of the local Green Box delivery schemes.  Riverford are pretty good.

shes anti riverford....dont ask!!! Ill look at the other sites thanks.

> shes anti riverford....dont ask!!

Perhaps you could just give her some compost, some seeds and a watering can here

> shes anti riverford....dont ask!!!

I know you said don't ask, but I'd love to know why, as I used them for a few years until quite recently.
I didn't stop using them for any eco-reason - I just wasn't getting the quantity, and sometimes quality, that I used to get from them.

Thanks to all for your replies, some of them have given me food for thought. I will now have to think about whether to send this type of gift or not. I hadn't thought about it as giving to my choice of charity and not necessarily the recipients. I will look at some of the web sites in this thread and then decide. Thank you everyone.

also look on he oxfam website as you can buy a goat for a family etc and you get a card to send to the person you brought the gift on behalf of.