Alternative Christmas Gift Guide - Part 2

We made an early start on the Christmas gift guide this year, with some ideas which will help benefit our climate. If you missed it you can catch up here. That post was inspired by my sixteen year old daughter, Miss. D, who was concerned about the destruction of the rainforest and now wants to gift everyone a tree planted in the rainforest. Her idea made me wonder what else could be gifted to people, which ultimately would benefit our planet. However, there are other gifts you can give to the folk who have it all, which benefit communities.

Gifts which benefit communities are a great idea for those hard to buy for people. As you can often match them up to interests or professions. As a family, we have used these in the past and I would highly recommend them.

The range of gifts you can give is extensive and there is literally something for everyone. In the past I have found it particularly useful for the inevitable Teacher's gift. Now, to all you parents with teeny tots in Reception, this is going to come as a shock, but there are only so many smelly things, chocolates, bottles of wine and 'Best Teacher' mugs one man or woman needs. So, what can you get as an alternative for these lovely ladies and gents? Well here's just a wee selection. Some you can do alone, or you could get together with other parents and give a bigger gift to the school:

• For £15 you could help a child access education with Christian Aid
• If you particularly want to help a girl access education you can do so for £20 with Oxfam Unwrapped
• Unicef Market offer a huge range of gifts, you'll need to filter it by Gifts for Teachers, but gifts range from £15.50 for five school backpacks to £170 for a preschool in a box.
• Every school needs a library. For £27 World Vision will provide a school with a mini library.
• Some children miss out on school because they don't have a uniform, for £11 ActionAid provide a uniform and, therefore, access to education.

Moving on to the farmers and gardeners in your life; there are a few bits you can get for them too, and my favourite, by a mile (may have to buy this for the OH) is listed first:

• £12, yes just £12 will let you give your loved one a pile of poo, courtesy of Oxfam Unwrapped. Please note, this is actually to do with composting, your loved one will not receive an actual pile of poo.
• £14 can help you to help a local community and help fight climate change with the gift of fruit tree saplings and seeds, from Christian Aid
• From Oxfam again, at the top end of the scale, £250 will help someone gain training as a farmer and get the skills they need to feed their family.
• Help a family start their own wee kitchen garden for £24 with World Vision
• We all know how important bees are to our eco system, ActionAid provide everything from a beehive, to training to keep bees from £35 to £150.

There are so many different gifts you can give, each and every one of which will make a real difference to someone living in another country. Know a plumber? You can gift them a toilet, or a water pump to deliver clean, safe water. There are vaccines, midwifery kits and mobile clinics for those working in medicine. 

Meanwhile back in Blighty, there are many, many people living in poverty. Here are a few UK charities you can also support this year:

• The Salvation Army are running their Christmas Present Appeal.
• The Red Cross also have a Gifts of Kindness page where you can choose a particular UK region to support or choose to support refugees.
• Which child doesn't love a letter from Santa? Now you can make your child's wish come true and help the NSPCC support the most vulnerable children in our society with their Letter from Santa. 

We hope our list has inspired you to share some of the Christmas spirit with those less fortunate. Christmas is just one day, but these gifts are ones which will have a much longer lasting effect. 

Please note this is not a sponsored post. No payment or gift has been received and the views are our own.