Gifting & Donating

I wrote a post recently about how I wish Christmas was ... or, more specifically, how I wish I was stronger in telling my family not to get me presents. I'd rather they donate $100 to charity than spend it on me, buying me STUFF I don't need. (And by "stuff", I mean you don't wanna know how many boxes of chocolates I received this year ... or how quickly I ate them.)

What I'm also upset about though -- at myself for -- is not having the idea sooner to buy my boyfriend's nephews gifts through charities. His nephews are 3.5 years old and 8 months old. (They are adorable!) At one point in my life, I wanted to work for a non-profit organization, and did quite a bit of research on different charities and organizations. So I remember seeing all these exciting things their shops offered, and yet it didn't dawn on me this year to explore these options for this Christmas. (But you can bet I'll be doing this in 2021!)

These don't just have to be for Christmas though; birthdays are all year long. And so, I wanted to put together a quick gift guide of ideas -- not at all an exhaustive list! -- for anyone who also shares this struggle of not wanting to support consumerism, but also wanting to still give children (or any loved one!) a present. If you feel inspired by any of the items on this list, you could even ask your loved ones to consider something like these.

World Wildlife Fund

a stuffed animal

Through the WWF, for around $50, you can adopt an animal and receive a stuffed animal that matches your adopted one (plus a certificate of adoption). I took a screenshot of the tiger as an example because it's my favourite animal, but the WWF has so many choices for species -- penguin, monkey, bumblebee, octupus. For a larger donation, you could adopt a whole family, receiving an adult stuffed animal and a baby one (but I think there are less choices for species).

The oldest nephew may not understand the adoption piece yet, but he LOVES animals and I know he would appreciate any animal-related gift.

Pure Art Foundation

children's books

I came across this Canadian charity because one of the founders' sons is my absolute favourite artist. In fact, he illustrated these books, while one of his brothers wrote them. There are 5 total, individually priced at $15 -- but for $69, you can get the whole collection! The boutique also sells prints of the illustrations from the books, but they're sold out or nearly sold out right now -- and I'm not surprised!

My boyfriend's brother and sister-in-law are big believers in reading bedtime stories to their children, and their oldest son already adores books, so a great gift for readers.

One Tree Planted

a tree-planting kit

I live in a very nature-y part of Canada -- surrounded by mountains, forests, and lakes. I'm not an outdoors person, but I appreciate the lovely view. When I was 4 years old, my aunt (probably with some help from my dad) planted a tree in our front yard. I think this tree-planting kit would be a cool idea -- something to do as a family, too!

Disclaimer: This is only available to those within the US. If you're not in the US, but you would like to support tree planting, their shop also has some clothing items.

Girl Rising

a documentary film

I've mentioned a few gifts for children, but if you have a teenager in your life (or a teacher -- there are some educational/curriculum things on this organization's website) ... what about a dvd? (I know, documentaries are not everyone's cup of tea -- this is a really niche gift idea.)

This is an organization that helps girls become educated -- a cause I support, as a female who grew up loving school. I learned about this one through Anne Hathaway (one of my favourite actresses); she was one of the narrators. I say "was" only because they are on the 5th anniversary of this documentary, and I don't know if they've made any changes to it.

Is there an organization or cause that's near and dear to your heart? (Or two, or three ...?) Do some research; see if you can find a website with a shop, look at what they offer, and plan out a Christmas list.

* A t-shirt for the brother who wears t-shirts all day every day

* A new book or two for the niece who loves to read and believes in educating herself on world issues

* A mug for the parent or grandparent who's gotta have their cup of coffee in the morning

* A water bottle for the friend who's training for a marathon in the new year

... The possibilities are almost endless. Of course, you're limited to what the organizations offer, but these are all ideas of items I KNOW I've seen in shops. They're out there -- it's just a matter of finding them. And of course, it's best to not just shop and donate for the sake of it being charity. When I asked if there is a cause you believe in, I truly want you to follow that lead ... the gifts will mean far more to the receiver if there's a story behind where you got it from and why.

One final note ...

I learned something from my dad this year, as he went through my grandfather's belongings (my grandfather passed away late November 2019, after the family newsletter had already been sent out) ... apparently a lot of charities have holiday greeting cards! My dad hasn't sent cards with the newsletters in YEARS, but after finding all of these cards from a variety of organizations (my grandfather was a very generous man), he knew this year he would pay tribute to his late father by dedicating the newsletter to him, and sending along these discovered cards with it.

So, if you're the kind of person/family that sends out holiday cards, I wanted to put that idea into your head. My boyfriend and I haven't yet in the almost-two years we've been together, but I'm thinking 2021 is the year! (Extra tip: Look into ones who offer e-cards, if you're wanting to save the planet by not sending out physical cards -- I noticed One Tree Planted offered this option.)

I hope this article was someone educational -- like I said, not an exhaustive list, but a good starting place, right?