R0b’s christmas suggestions

Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, December 20th, 2014 - 11 comments
Categories: Conservation, poverty - Tags:

Plagiarised from two years ago …

R0b posted these suggestions two years ago and they are still very relevant.  Merry Christmas to one and all and may you and your families enjoy your time together and may your christmas celebrations go light on the planet yet improve the plight of humanity.

“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.

[I would also add Oxfam who provide an interesting variety of gifts that can be given such as planting 25 trees for $25 – MS]

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 [few] 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.”

Thanks R0b.”

11 comments on “R0b’s christmas suggestions ”

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  1. karol 1
    20 December 2014 at 9:41 am

    Auckland City Mission in need of donations for the summer period: NZ Herald article.

  2. weka 2
    20 December 2014 at 9:48 am

    11. Invite someone who is on their own for Christmas to your Christmas day celebration.

  3. phillip ure 3
    20 December 2014 at 4:04 pm

    12. give the planet a xmas present..

    ..don’t eat any animals..

    ..here’s how..

    http://vegetarian.about.com/od/specialoccasionrecipe1/qt/vegan-Christmas.htm

  4. Paul 4
    20 December 2014 at 7:05 pm

    13. Whatever you do, don’t just do it at Christmas, but commit to it all the year round.
    14. Give the planet a present; consume less.
    15. Give your grandchildren a present; consume less.

    Here are some stats showing how many people will not enjoy Christmas.
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/two-nations-13m-brits-will-spend-12bn-on-panic-saturday-but-13m-others-across-the-country-will-spend-this-christmas-in-poverty-9937088.html

    • Manuka AOR 4.1
      21 December 2014 at 2:19 pm

      From that link:

      “Inequality in the UK is now so extreme that the five richest families are wealthier than the bottom 20 per cent of the entire population, according to Oxfam.

      “Meanwhile, the housing charity Shelter predicts that 93,000 children will be homeless this Christmas, as the number of homeless families trapped in temporary or emergency accommodation exceeds 60,000.

      ” “This is a real, stark two-nations Britain that we are talking about,” said Trussell Trust chair Chris Mould. “At Christmas time, when people will be spending more than they have ever done before, we have also tens of thousands of people who haven’t got enough to buy food for themselves and families.”

      And in NZ, problems trying to get food grants: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/12/20/what-winz-are-callously-saying-to-people-even-when-they-know-people-are-listening/

  5. Manuka AOR 5
    20 December 2014 at 8:02 pm

    If you’re aware of someone in your wider community who is struggling, particularly if there are children involved, make up some sort of food parcel from whatever you can scrounge and just drop it off with a “Happy Holidays” message. You don’t have to know them and can just leave it on the doorstep. For those at the thin edge of the economic wedge you’ll probably be giving much more than you think.

  6. Sabine 6
    20 December 2014 at 11:13 pm

    support your local makers and growers and bakers and builders and dress makers etc etc etc, because they will employ the one or the other local, pay taxes and spend the money again within the community.

    seriously, do not go to the warehouse and the other box stores that only offer made in hell products by wage slaves but buy locally made goods, go to your local market and find little trinkets and home made foods there.
    You support your community which in returns supports the community and it is all just a merry go around.

    enjoy your christmas holiday, don’t use the visa card, eat much food and drink much wine or grape juice, spoil others and get spoiled.

  7. Rosie 7
    21 December 2014 at 1:22 pm

    All good suggestions and ones we’ve previously gone for (eg, Oxfam, and only buying locally made. Buying locally made is a principle I try to adhere as much as I can anyway)

    For us, we are gloriously liberated from the act of celebrating Christmas. We phased it out over a number of years until now, when there is nothing but a smile on Christmas day.

    No excess food and drink – this can be done at any point in time, no need to wait for a day that you have no religious affiliation to (not that I advocate gluttony as a rule)

    Only one little present for one another

    A day remarkably free of the stress of a family that I’m an outsider in, and have little to do with.

    There is barely enough money to make ends each week so why add an unnecessary financial burden?

    What i would like to see happen though, is for the concept of goodwill to spread to every day of the calendar year. Acts of kindness towards strangers and sharing what you can, if you can should be part of our norms in society, not ideals concentrated around the Festive season. Being mindful of others should be an everyday thing.