Charities

So that was Christmas and what did you do?

My title this month is a deliberately rhetorical question and a deliberate corruption of one of the most loved Christmas songs. The idea of moving away from the commercial infestation which seems to dominate our culture for the so-called festive season is very much alive. This puzzles me because, contrary to the meaning of the word season, we seem to allow the Christmas flood to inundate our lives at an earlier date each year. I have haunting memories of entering a well-known chocolate emporium in mid October only to be confronted by a veritable menagerie of melt-in-the-mouth reindeer, adjacent to the Halloween collection.

Story Highlights

Olympic Festivities
Save The Children
A Gift For A Gift
New Year Good Will

Olympic Festivities

What amazes me further is how such a blind act of capitalist money-grabbing has not yet been the target of rebellion (this article excluded). If we don't act soon then by the time the Olympic Games find their way to the United Kingdom, the pre-Christmas build-up and the post-festivity - start saving for next year mentality, will somehow meet in the middle and the East End of London will be thriving with athletes in Santa hats.

You may by now have discerned my charitable focus this month. I am by no means proclaiming that we remove the festival from our culture. I am merely highlighting the wasteful nature of many of the additions we have made to the process over the last few decades.

Save The Children

saving-children A recent attempt to revolutionise the wastefulness of Christmas gift-giving was introduced by the charity, Save the Children. Their Wish List programme involves sending a meaningful, potentially life-changing gift to an underprivileged child or family. Your chosen friend or relative will then receive a gift certificate and a card, relaying the benefits of this. Ranging from the UK to the poorest developing countries in the world and with prices beginning at a mere £7, it is possible for anyone to give the gift of a gift.

You may wonder why I have chosen to focus on such a charity in January of all months. There are many reasons for this but my main motive is rather simple. A gift is for life, not just for Christmas - and I ain't just talking dogs.

A Gift For A Gift

My intentions are not to remove the custom or the presents but merely to replace the gift for the sake of a gift, with the newer concept of a gift for a gift. Furthermore the Wish List programme is not just a Christmas phenomenon – it is available throughout the year. If we intend to boost the charitable sentiment behind Christmas then let's start before the chocolate Santas come out again. Establishing such gift giving as an accepted part of festivities is vital before advertising executives begin to prescribe this year's must have list.
This approach also includes other, less apparent benefits. We are manufacturing, buying, selling and indeed hoarding increasing amounts of superfluous rubbish every year, masking the genuine sentiment of good will.

New Year Good Will

Bringing charity to the fore via the giving of gifts to each other may seem like a seemingly impossible goal, but there is a way. Do it. Ask for it. Got a gift you don't want? Sell it on e-bay and use the proceeds to by something meaningful. Then tell people what you did. All you need to know can be found here.

I hope my seasonal frustrations have subsided by next month and wish you a merry Christmas, in advance of September 2008. May the New Year bring you a rich array of charitable offerings.

- David Haw

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