Spirit of Christmas

Toy Shop - obviously not nationwide!

John Lewis usually do a gift list for a refuge charity (can't remember which one), I get each of my kids to pick a gift for a child their age that they would like from it and buy those gifts from that.

We usually donate socks to the local homeless shelter, they get a lot of hats and scarves, but if you speak to them it's socks they need the most, alternatively you can buy these lovely socks as gifts and they donate hiking socks to someone sleeping rough: www.bigissueshop.com/type/socks/

We do donate food bank bits all year round and I have one charity DD.

Due to the season there's usually a weather based/natural crisis around christmas time so we do 1 off payments to the DEC, as well as to the salvation army for closer to home.

I've had a bad experience with Shelter in the past - very nasty pushy telesales team

The local womens refuge told me they get more than they need at christmas and they have no means to store extra for age groups they aren't currently housing, so we don't do that.

We have 2 national charities that we support RNLI and the Salvation Army, every year we alternate between the two.On the first of January each year we start filling a old pickle jar with loose change and on the first of December it is emptied and the contents given to that years charity.Every shopping day we add to the collection for the local foodbank and add a tin of food into the collection box for the local animal shelter.
Every christmas a donation is given to the foodbank instead of presents for our Adult children, although i am sad to say this does not go down well with my DH'S step daughter.Toys are given to the local centre on behalf of our grandchildren and a oxfam gift is given in my youngest stepchilds name.
On a more personal level our dear neighbour lost his wife a few months ago and he will be invited to spend as much time with us as he likes.

That's kind, grannypiper, the offer to your neighbour

I remember that years ago someone I was speaking to said that she and her family (including her children who were teenagers then) spent every Christmas Day cooking dinner at a centre for the homeless in London.
She said that they preferred to do that than sit and indulge themselves at home knowing that people could be going cold and hungry.

Mostly local for me.My neighbor is chairwoman for local scouts group,which my goddaughter attends,the schools have a craft fair,Cancer of course and guide dogs for the blind.

There are always the books of raffle tickets which arrive near Christmas, usually we end up buying quite a lot ourselves.

But have never won anything.

oh, the foot and mouth painters pack arrives every year and DH dutifully sends off a cheque.
The school Christmas fair goes without saying, sending a contribution as well as buying and then the DGC help you spend your money there too!
(shut your eyes while they buy your present with the money you've just given them ).

You need to put money on one side all year for the spirit of Christmas

Just checking that I can post!

Granny 23. I sent a long reply to you PM and now I can't see it. Did you receive it?

Last year I was inspired by Granny23 to pinch her idea and we open on 26/11. It has been very rewarding, and I hope, will be successful.

I have found that a local pub, which is raising funds for us, have their own charity called Tge Homeless Period. They provide sanitary protection for homeless women. I plan to support them in the future.

That's what we had for lunch today rose yum!

My charities are all children charities. So NSPCC for U.K. and Save the Children for everywhere else!!! They get all that I can afford - the easiest is monthly DD.

But I do bung a bit of cash to the Salvation Army every Christmas.

When I lead a team of 24 it became too expensive to buy them meaningful individual presents, so every year I bought toys to give to the Mayor's children's charity. I took photos of the toys and included them in the team's Christmas cards, saying that I had donated them in the teams name.

Well I fev organised Happy Boxes for Syrian children which I ll be calling in end of this month judging by how many people have shown interest I m hopeful on a van full then we start a reverse advent calandar the start of December each person or family put one item of food in a box each day until the 25th that will go to Syria after Christmas I probably do the Christmas Day swim in the sea as long as I ve got no colds or flu hanging around That's me done

No Pensionpat nothing from you in my INBOX. Glad to hear you are all set forthe off. A friend told me this week that there will be a similar Pop-up shop in a small town in NI this year modeled on our one after he shared our facebook page with a relative there. From small beginnings.....

On the subject of sanitary products - one of our members, who works in a secondary school discovered that they are required to bin their stock of such products each year (usually end of summer or beginning of Autumn term) and replace them with fresh supplies - I was not aware that they had best before or use by dates and after all they are well wrapped and sealed. Thanks to our member's intervention, all the local Secondaries now donate the old stock direct to the Food Banks instead of sending it direct to land fill.

Another tip off prompted a trawl of pharmacies AFTER Christmas which produced loads of shop damaged or nearly on their sell by dates toiletry gift sets and individual items. Happily handed over by the Pharmacies and gratefully received by the Food Banks.

Years ago when I worked for Women's Aid, one of our volunteers hit upon the idea of approaching small hotels and B&Bs at the end of the summer season which resulted in a large collection of tea/coffee making individual sachets and small toiletries, which were put to good use in the refuge. Unexpectedly, this initiative also produced donations of slightly worn bedding and towels as the B&Bs updated their stocks.

Anyone else got any slightly offbeat ideas that we could copy in our own areas?

I tidied up my bedroom last week and sorted out old stuff. I found quite a few old towels or ones which now don't match the colour scheme.

I was going anyway to the PDSA to give a cash donation but I will get up a hamper of old towels, put in some little toys and treats.

My doggie had an accident with my DS when she was just a little pup and came off worst, with a broken front leg. As I am on benefits, the PDSA stepped in and fixed her (many visits in the snow on trains/trams/buses) and we were so grateful for their help. I could only donate the odd pounds here and there then so now I will help a little more (more money since DS not here) and give to this very worthwhile cause and make some other little puppy better for his much worried mummy or daddy.

A gift box for dogs is a wonderful thing to do Ruby, with so much poverty more people need the PDSA

Shelter. They need all the help they can get at the moment, receiving calls for help every 30 seconds.

I have just done two orders for Christmas presents, one through Actionaid giving gifts to keep streetgirls safe from harm, and the other one through FOE, buying gifts for family.
I have also bought from the Woodland Trust.
I don't buy presents from ordinary shops.

I have FOE, Butterfly Conservation and WaterAid direct debits.

Anyone who buys food from M&S Food on the Move Christmas range is supporting Shelter.

Granny23. I have sent another PM which failed to send. I shall try again after Xmas with a full update. Best of luck again this year. You have been my mentor and inspiration. Thank you.

Every so often I get together with friends to do an informal gift "flash mob". We each suggest a charity and normally choose them all, then on a specific day every one of us gives a small amount. According to what we can afford. Together we can guarantee over £100 - and to small local charities that is significant.

More recently I have been doing this with friends in America, too.
We started doing this for Lent, but we are discussing it for Advent this year.

I also give to Lendwithcare.org. This is a charity set up to loan money to groups who would not be able to borrow from a bank [in what we used to call "third world" countries]. My choice is to give to women's co-operative ventures, but you could choose all sorts of groups. The group uses the money to buy more stock, etc., and repays the loan when it can. I have been getting repayments far sooner than I expected and I re-invest these with whatever extra money I can find.
I am NOT rich, but the joy it brings to give what I can is beyond description...

I am not a Christmas person at all (was mad on it when kids were small) I buy food for the food bank and have already given £100 quid to a skint family member with kids to ease the strain round at her house. Did that last weekend so she knew one worry had been lifted a bit and could relax.

This year I am going to pick someone on a give with care charity ...they fund loans to businesses in the developing world, and post the project on FB in lieu of Christmas cards. Then, hopefully will have good news for next year and if the loan is repaid can re invest next year.

Bit of a seasonal gamble that one, and why not ?

Other than that I shall hang out with the dog and see who turns up....last year it was 15 people, half of whom I had not met and a jolly time they had too. I just cooked and washed up.

For many years I have sent a donation to the Salvation Army instead of sending Christmas cards. I also do a monthly DD to them. I admire the way the help those who are at the very bottom of the ladder - the alcoholics, the street sleepers, the runaways. To me, the SA live their religion in everyday life.

We also support Help for Heroes and donated our old car to be auctioned for them rather than take the small trade-in value on offer.

I am in awe of all of you! What an inspiration to others. I support Crisis, send money to the girl I sponsor in Africa, contribute to the Cathedral's charity Christmas appeal, and I do volunteer all year round at the local hospice and other charities, but am feeling I should be doing more now. Well done everyone.

Many of us in our village donate our fuel allowance. We buy vouchers from Tesco, M&S, the local butcher and fuel vouchers from the coal merchant as most people have coal fires. We give them to the vicar and she doles them out knowing full well who really needs them. The recipients have no idea who donates and the donors have no idea who is getting the help and that is the way we like it.
I turned out my wardrobe and cupboards last week and took 4 bags and two crates of stuff to the Kats and Kits jumble sale. I was nearly in tears when I handed over my lovely soft leather boots but, post cardiac surgery, my left leg is too big to get them on. Two of the helpers immediately fell in love with them and a third lady decided to hold an on the spot auction. They eventually went for £28. They were the most expensive boots I have ever had and that made me feel much better! Sometimes it is better to give than to receive.

anniebach I will send a donation to the Salvation Army because this £1 in my pocket is starting to weigh down my conscience.

ps that's not a joke btw