Instead of making a last minute trip to the mall the week before Christmas to throw your money away on clothes and candles, please consider a gift that will keep on giving and extend further than underneath your tree. The true meaning of Christmas spirit and joy is to spread warmth and love to every being that you can. I have compiled a list of a few organizations you can contribute to in the name of your friends and family and that will even give you something in return.
The Animal Lover
The Gentle Barn is an organization that rescues and rehabilitates animals from cruelty and slaughter and brings them to one of their Gentle Barn locations. Here, these animals are treated with love and kindness until their final days and visited by groups of children who are at-risk or special education. Truly a win-win situation. Choose a Gentle Barn animal to sponsor with small monthly donations as low as $5 and receive a beautiful gift certificate, bio, and photo of your animal
instagram: @thegentlebarn
The Nature Lover
There truly is no gift that has a more lasting effect than planting trees in the name of your loved one. TreeEra provides people with the most simplistic way possible to help the environment. You donate, they do the dirty work. Give your loved ones a hand in reducing their carbon footprint and making a difference by utilizing TreeEra’s holiday special and plant 20 trees for $30 on behalf of your gift recipient or purchase a monthly donation. Your loved one will receive a badge, tree certificate, embroidered patch, and discounts.
instagram: @treeraco
The Child in All of Us
UNICEF is a world-known organization that defends the rights and saves the lives of children in 190 countries and territories. This is a huge gift and maybe the largest way to spread your much-needed warmth throughout the world. UNICEF allows you to dedicate a gift to children in need in the name of your loved one and personalize a card that UNICEF will deliver to them for you. Choose from their wish-list of items for children such as 1,000 pencils to supply an entire school for just $32, Measles vaccines to protect 50 children for just $37, or 5,000 water purification tablets for $24. This is beyond incredible and surely cheaper than the sale on your favorite retailer for sweaters.
instagram: @unicef
The Wildlife Activist
WWF (World Wildlife Fund) brings attention to a number of endangered species that need urgent help. If we don’t begin paying attention to these at-risk species, future generations will see a very bleak wildlife. WWF allows you to gift your loved one an animal from their Species Adoption Program in which you choose a species that needs a conservation donation and you will receive a stuffed animal, species card, and framed photo/gift certificate of your animal to give to your loved one, how amazing is that?
instagram: @wwf
The Yogi
Anyone who has spent time in a yoga class, meditation, or in nature is more than familiar with the benefits. EarthChild Project is a non-profit organization that works with disadvantaged students in schools in Cape Town, South Africa and their teachers. Their programs teach yoga, mindfulness, organic gardening, hiking trips, and more. This organization is genuinely innovative and pure and their affects are more than blatant. Provide one child with weekly yoga classes for a year with a donation in the name of your yogi loved one and spread your zen as a gift certificate.
instagram: @earthchildproject
These organizations are among many in dire need of support from people like yourselves looking for ways to give the gift of care and love this season. Be mindful of where you are spending your money and what you are wrapping and gifting this year. Happy Holidays (: