Christmas gifts

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 pm, December 16th, 2012 - 14 comments
Categories: poverty, Social issues - Tags: ,

Merry Christmas. Well – soon anyway. I’ll be going off line some time in the next few days – time to get far away from computers and news and politics for a few weeks. Looking for gift ideas? There are plenty of ways to give a gift that will really make a difference. Here’s a small selection.

UNICEF – Inspired Gifts – if you make an order up to and including this Wednesday it will be in time for Christmas.

Leprosy Mission NZ – Really Good Gifts – if you want to go local.

Good Gifts – they promise that your money is spent exactly as you specify.

There are many other options like these, you’re sure to find something that suits. But not all gifts require money. I like these ideas from a piece in Stuff a couple of years ago, 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!

Wherever you are, have a good one.

14 comments on “Christmas gifts ”

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  1. xtasy 1
    16 December 2012 at 10:31 pm

    Hey Anthony, why did you not put WINZ on your list?

    Or do you also have NO faith in their services?

    Well, they are tax payer funded, of course, but I read today, in the Auckland Central Leader, that they have now sent staff to work on the front line at the Auckland City Mission, to help guide people in need faster to their needs being met, this being FOOD PARCELS PACKED IN THE BACKROOM.

    Now how shameful is that. Is this a PR stunt by Bennett and her underlings, to make themselves look good and helpful? They are supposed to assist people getting the benefits they need, but AAAP (Auckland Action Against Poverty) did prove just this week, that is NOT happening, as too many beneficiaries are NOT getting their entitlements met, are not told about them and so on.

    http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2012/12/beneficiary-impact-come-get-what-is-rightfully-yours/

    So why promote the last resort welfare organisations here? Or is that the bottom line policy now by Labour? If it is, I am the more so appalled about that party and what the caucus is blocking to turn things around.

    Stalinist control will NOT get you out of the misery. We are HERE to take a stand, at THE STANDARD! I respect your right to your view, but some of us have a different one, thanks, and a merry X-mas after all. Much time to think!

    • r0b 1.1
      16 December 2012 at 10:46 pm

      Not sure I follow you there xtasy. I “promote the last resort welfare organisations here” because they are needed, and they do good work. The suggestions listed mostly work internationally, helping people very much in need.

      • xtasy 1.1.1
        16 December 2012 at 10:54 pm

        Rob, I do not dispute that at all, but I am focused on the situation in NZ now, where some do very well, but where others are not doing well at all. I would have liked you to perhaps touch that reality also. But then again, you are free to choose what you wish to write about. Thank you.

  2. Rosie 2
    17 December 2012 at 1:45 pm

    Thanks Anthony. These gift ideas are way better than gifts dutifully bought with resignation and slight annoyance “just because its xmas”. One of the best gifts I have received was a certificate of a voucher for vet fee’s for Palestinian working donkeys. I think it was an Oxfam certificate and it made my day.

    I have almost fully given up on the event that is Christmas due to the lack or reason for it if you’re not a Christian but I do like the traditional aspects of administering ‘goodwill’ – something we should do all year round, hence I like the suggestion of being helpful towards others. Sometimes folks don’t think of these as acts as things they can do at any given time during the year, so Christmas is a good starting point.

  3. tc 3
    17 December 2012 at 2:14 pm

    Good list Anthony.

    Also ask your local salvation army how you can assist them with time/food/resources in general.

  4. lprent 4
    18 December 2012 at 8:56 am

    I figured out the best gift for Lyn. I’m applying for a passport something that I haven’t used since 1992. That way I can go on holiday with her or off to the islands or the himalayas days away from anywhere and help out in those places bringing them to the worlds attention.

  5. bad12 5
    18 December 2012 at 9:25 am

    11), Ignore the 25th of December which even as a Christian festival has been built upon falsehood and is simply in modern terms a call to ‘the herd’ to dis-engage their brains and indulge in an orgy of consumerism,

    12) Spare at least a thought for all those on the receiving end of the inevitable dramatic spike in family violence offences recorded at this particular time of year….

  6. David Viperious H 6
    18 December 2012 at 9:58 am

    Christmas is for the children. And in the article and all comments I don’t think the word Children was even mentioned. Yep did a word search and only twice (MINE) does it appear. So in that spirit Christmas is for my son and how ever many other littlies come and visit. The Adults are there for protection, supervision, and food/drink. We will have a good Christmas. And I wish ALL in here, a very merry Christmas. And please, please, don’t ever forget the children.

  7. best christmas gifts 2012 7
    18 December 2012 at 10:48 am

    These are definitely very thoughtful gift ideas

  8. Morrissey 8
    18 December 2012 at 7:53 pm

    Speaking of the spirit of the season, here’s a Christmas message of hate from the Israeli embassy in Dublin…

    http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-embassys-christmas-message-hate-bethlehem-palestinians-would-lynch-jesus

  9. Xmas Gifts NZ 9
    22 December 2012 at 7:56 pm

    Really? Ever been burgled? Probably these thieves were young teenagers who broke in, ripped open the gifts looking for the valuable ones they could hock for cash and buy drugs for themselves. Don’t romanticize the horrendous act of these cretins. Had they stolen food to feed a family I could see a certain amount of sadness for them, but not when they steal childrens Christmas presents.

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