Four Tips for Alternative Gift Givers
Receiving a goat for Christmas can seem a bit “out there” for some. Here are a few tips to bring your gift recipients around to the idea that their gifts may say “baaa” while doing a world of good this year.
Alternative gifts, like donating to a charity, are rising in popularity as more and more people try to connect their global concerns with their everyday lives. In fact, last Christmas 84 per cent of Canadians said in an Ipsos-Reid survey that they would prefer to have a donation made in their name to a charity rather than receive a traditional gift.
It’s great to celebrate and to show our family, friends and co-workers how much we appreciate them. And alternative gifts help us do that while still taking the rest of the world into account. Here are a few tips on how to do it well:
Include Your Family— Make it a family affair. Send out a group email to members of your extended family who normally exchange gifts. Include links to charities that make it easy to make a difference in the world.
Practice What You Preach —When someone asks you what you want for a special holiday gift, ask for something like a goat or school supplies for disadvantaged children from the World Vision Gift Catalogue (
WorldVision.ca/gifts). The possibilities are as diverse as your global concerns.
As a bonus, sharing your own desire to receive alternative gifts may just encourage your friends and family to give them too.
Personalize Your Gift—When you give an alternative gift, consider including something personal and meaningful to the recipient. Perhaps write a poem or jot down a special thought about the high value you place on your family member or friend. You could even explain why you decided to give them that specific alternative gift.
The real reason most of us enjoy receiving gifts is because they are an expression of love and appreciation. By sharing things like “The best moment we had together this year,” or “Ten things I love most about you,” your gift becomes precious indeed.
A Little Something Extra— Consider buying a small fair-trade item like handcrafted jewellery or organic coffee to go along with your alternative gift choice. It’s always fun to unwrap a little something.
Remember, you may just have to give it time. Changing how we give gifts sometimes means messing with tradition. And that can be a slow process and more difficult for some.
