'Tis the season of thoughtfully picking out the perfect gift for each person you care about. Unfortunately, it's also the season of picking up last minute, generic presents that just end up cluttering people's houses. So, for the person who has everything (or at least who isn't making it obvious what they don't have, and need), you should consider donating to a worthy cause, and dedicating it to that special, hard-to-shop-for someone. Lots of popular charities have something like this, whatever your cause of choice. So today I'll share with you just a few of the options available, specifically the ones that have popped up in my inbox over the past couple of weeks (I'm on a lot of mailing lists).
So, since this is an environmental blog, I'll start with that. Greenpeace has a program called
Presents for the Planet. You make a donation to Greenpeace, and you get to send a friend an animated e-card!
If you're more into helping people directly, you have a few choices. My favourite is Oxfam. Through
Oxfam Unwrapped you can give a variety of gifts, so this one actually overlaps with the other categories. You can send gifts to people in need all over the world, including things like bicycles, flocks of chickens, and textbooks, and then Oxfam sends your special someone a card.
If you're a Manitoban, or buying for someone who lives here, you might consider
Food Matters Manitoba. Your gift will help fund healthy, sustainable, and fair food security projects right in our local communities.
Lastly, for the animal lover on your list, check out WSPA's
Really Wild Gifts. You can choose gifts that help a specific type of animal, or make a donation to go wherever it's needed most. You can help fund bear sanctuaries in Pakistan, or fund care for neglected cats. I know that's a gift I'd cherish more than a box of chocolates or a new sweater.
So if you're still trying to figure the perfect present for someone who seems to have everything already, I hope you'll consider helping out a person or animal or the planet this holiday season. Happy shopping!