Every Christmas we end up with lots of wonderful gifts. Unfortunately we also end up with some added clutter with some stuff that we don’t want or need.
Why not make this Christmas different? Why not think of others who may not have too much reason to celebrate at the moment?
It’s a sure bet that a lot of us will end up getting clothes as gifts. I love getting new clothes but my wardrobe is already pretty full. I’m going to have a serious wardrobe cull to make way for any new items. Some of my old and tatty clothes will make their way to our rag box but I’ll also pick out some stuff that’s still in good condition to donate to charity. It’s not much but it’s a start in helping others.
Another great idea in thinking about others is to buy a gift from World Vision’s Smiles Catalogue. (This is the Australian version but I’m sure that you’ll be able to find something local if you’re not lucky enough to live in Australia.)
For just $39 you can buy a mosquito net to protect children in Rwanda from malaria. For only $27 you can buy a blanket for a child in Bangladesh. $45 will buy 5 chickens, giving a year round supply of eggs, for a family in East Timor. As well as the eggs, the family will be able to breed the chickens and provide an ongoing income.
Tear Australia has a similar catalogue. They say, “So what do you buy the person who already has everything or doesn’t need anything? If you’re sick of soap-on-a-rope, electronic dancing flowers, and papier mache fruit, this catalogue is for you! Purchases from this catalogue provide really useful gifts for some of the world’s poorest people: items like school books for $5, a safe water supply for $15, a goat for $50, or a toilet for $70.”
Don’t you think it’d be wonderful to tell a friend or loved one that someone’s life has been made a great deal better because you bought a gift from one of those catalogues on their behalf?
Maybe you think that your friends would feel a bit cheated if they eneded up with ‘nothing‘. Why not just put the word around that you’d like others to buy stuff from the catalogues for you this Christmas.
I’d like to hear some other ways that we can turn the commercialisation of Christmas on its head this year. Have you got any more ideas? Let’s enjoy giving and receiving but make sure we spare a thought for the many people we may never meet who so desperately need us this Christmas.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
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I think, if we all thought of those less fortunate than ourselves ALL YEAR round, we could make Christmas a bit brighter for everyone in the world.
Organisations like World Vision and Save the Children Fund are great ways to do this, as you can set up monthly donations and still help out at Christmas as well.
You’re so right Amelia. Our family has sponsored a child through World Vision for many years.
We can’t afford a lot but comapred to children in developing countries, we have so much. It doesn’t take a lot to help others.