Christmas gifts

Written By: - Date published: 2:23 pm, December 18th, 2010 - 5 comments
Categories: International, poverty, Social issues - Tags:

Perhaps, like me, you have left your Christmas shopping to the last minute. Perhaps you are not quite ready to give up and take the easy way out (Kiwis want cash for Christmas). Fear not – help is at hand! Here’s a roundup of some real gifts that you might want to consider.

Last year I wrote a post, “Give a goat for Christmas”, which outlined ways to give to developing countries. Cheap in New Zealand dollars, these are gifts that can really change lives, for an individual, a family, even a whole community in need. Food, water, livestock, tools, environmental projects, a business start-up kit, and much much more. See for example the Good Gifts Catalogue, or Leprosy Mission NZ’s Really Good Gift Shop.

This year I hope you have also noticed Unicef’s Say No to Naff campaign (If you haven’t you’re not looking at the ads on our pages!). “Don’t give your loved ones naff presents, get a gift that will do good”… Options include gifts of education, of nutrition, of water, of immunisation, and more. Check it out.

Kudos to Stuff this year for a good piece on Ten ways to give back this Christmas:

1.) Give your time.
2.) Donate to a foodbank.
3.) Get your gifts wrapped by a fundraising stall.
4.) Buy charity Christmas cards or gifts.
5.) Swap Secret Santa for Charity Santa.
6.) Clean Your closets.
7.) Visit a neighbour or elderly person.
8.) Offer to babysit for friends or family
9.) Make a New Year’s resolution to get more involved in your community.
10.) Do a random act of kindness!

Click on through for the full descriptions, excellent suggestions one and all.

I’m not quite done for the year yet, but now seems like a good time to wish y’all a Very Merry Christmas.

5 comments on “Christmas gifts ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Jeremy Harris 1
    18 December 2010 at 6:44 pm

    Great idea…

  2. Carol 2
    18 December 2010 at 7:24 pm

    Very good suggestions. Where’s the best place/s to make a donation to the unemployed in Christchurch and Greymouth?

  3. ak 3
    18 December 2010 at 11:40 pm

    Onya r0b – and all blessings to your good self and whanau for your sterling work tward the reason for the season and His manifestation in the timeworn party of practical christianity.

    Eek! – a timely heavenly clash – uneasy clouds above the Pharisee sect or a welcome rain for the worried spawn of Maori holocaust? Or peahap divine repulsion; the anger of ages at the grinning venal asp of antiquity.

    Not even cake from this particular eel-eyed mild-mannered Austrian clerk. Let bugger-all of them starve to death. While I party in Hawaiki with the Scribes.

    End times for some, say the entrail grovellers, exponentially approaching. But for whom?

    History salutes the r0bs. Kia kaha, taku hoa.

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