Several years ago, my family decided to cut Christmas gifts out of our Christmas celebration. We all enjoy Thanksgiving for the food and the family time and decided to extend that into Christmas. We started filling gift boxes for one of those organizations which sends Christmas gifts to those in need instead of buying gifts for one another. It’s really taken the pressure off the season and has helped us focus on each other and on charitable acts instead of gifts.
While filling our gift boxes this year, Katie kept talking about putting water in the boxes to send to kids who don’t have water. It took a few days of discussion, but I finally figured out that an organization had come to her school and talked about building wells for communities in need.
When world vision contacted me and asked if I would share about their 2016 gift catalog I was excited to learn more about their organization and programs. They’ve been around as long as I can remember and this is their 21st annual edition of the World Vision Gift Catalog. Katie was thrilled to see that giving clean water to kids in need was a gift option. I immediately knew which cause we’d be donating to this year.
There are more than 100 gifts in the World Vision catalog starting at $16 so there’s something for every price point. Once you purchase your gift you can have a card sent to a loved one letting them know you’ve donated in their honor.
You can also purchase any of the handcrafted gifts you see here to send something tangible to your friends and family. The money raised from these items goes into the “Where Most Needed” fund and will go towards needs that might otherwise go unmet.
World Vision sent me a box of handcrafted gifts that I’ll be giving to friends and family this year. In addition, I have an extra box of handcrafted gifts to giveaway to one of you! Fill out the box below to enter to win.
How will you be giving back this holiday season?
I will be giving back by taking Christmas candies, cookies and a meal to a family hospice center.
Every year me, the hubby and boys head to the store and purchase around 200-250 lbs of non perishables and drop them off at our local food bank. I hope its teaching them something that they will keep with them.
I volunteer at my local aquarium, so I give back year round. I also like to donate goods and money to several charities. Also, if you get toothbrushes and little tubes of toothpaste from your dentist, those make great items to give to homeless shelters or some food banks.
Volunteering at the aquarium must be so fun! Great tip about the travel size toothpaste and toothbrushes.
We have two sponsored children in Uganda and always send them a special gift this time of year. They can purchase whatever their family needs. We also recently became refugee responders so that we can help those in this terrible crisis. I love World Vision and the work they do!
I’ve done Operation Christmas Child and the stocking stuffer program so far
Our family will be participating in the #LIGHTtheWORLD campaign, which provides prompts/suggestions of ways to give service each day leading up to Christmas.
This is the first year I’ve heard about that, and I love the idea!
Such lovely items! We give back in different ways each year, whether Boxes of Love, Operation Christmas Child, or we select a child or family from an Angel Tree. Sometimes we find small ways to offer Random Acts of Christmas Kindness to random people.
We bake for our neighbors and also spend lots of time at our local retirement home.
I’m sure those events make such sweet memories!
We donate clothing for the homeless during this time
I will be giving back by donating gifts to homeless on Christmas day!
I’ll be donating to a couple charities that are local to me!
So great to give back locally!
I usually donate a lot of things to animal shelters, as well as toys for Tots.
A bunch of us at work get together and buy Christmas for a family in need.
Love that!
I have the upcycled bowl and it is gorgeous!
I love it, so unique!
I will be giving back by helping to pass out food baskets.
SO great!
We donate coats.