Living in a world that is drowning in overconsumption, the season of goodwill and gifting can strike a jarring chord as many of us try to cut down on unsustainable purchasing. When you spend the rest of the year rinsing out yoghurt cartons for recycling and revitalising your wardrobe with pre-loved clothing, it seems suddenly incongruous to begin frenzied shopping for unnecessary and often unwanted gifts.
For a greener Christmas this year, that’s better for the soul and spirit, start with recyclable wrapping paper, focus on gifting experiences rather than objects, and look at where you can give a gift that supports a charity. Clearly, your five-year-old won’t be thrilled to wake up on Christmas morning to discover that Santa has sent a goat to a family in Africa on their behalf, but it’s an ideal option for recipients where it’s more about the gesture – be it a client gift or that tricky-to-buy-for person who has everything.
Ciara McGowan, head of donor marketing at Barnardos, says, “When a person is choosing a gift for a loved one or friend, and they select a cause which aligns with the recipient’s personal values, it shows thought and care has gone into selecting the gift, which makes it all the more meaningful.”
The items on offer through Barnardos’ Gifts for Good gift cards reflect the most common areas of need the team see with families they work with. “There’s cards for different options; like providing meals, warm clothes, hygiene products as well as school supplies.
Why an SSE Airtricity energy audit was a game changer for Aran Woollen Mills on its net-zero journey
Getting solid legal advice early in your company’s journey is invaluable
Water pollution has no one cause but many small steps and working together can bring great change
Empowering women in pharma: MSD Ireland’s commitment to supporting diverse leadership
“They’re the very basics that you would hope a child and their family would have, but for so many families, these items might be a luxury.”
The Warmth and Wellbeing and Feed their Potential cards are most popular options, pulling at the heartstrings of purchasers. “I think we all like to picture children being warm and cosy, with full bellies, living their best lives, but unfortunately this is far from reality for so many families here in Ireland.”
In 2023, Barnardos supported more than 26,000 children and their families, a shocking 25 per cent increase on the 2022 numbers. “Our waiting lists are growing with demand,” says McGowan, “so any and all support is so appreciated and welcomed”.
She also notes that, at an expensive time of year, charity shops are a treasure trove of pre-loved items, from unique clothes and accessories to books, toys and home decor.
“Charity shopping encourages a focus on the season’s spirit rather than on excess, which can lead to more intentional gifting.”
When you buy a Unicef Inspired Gift, you are donating to Unicef to help reach children in conflict zones, disaster areas and communities with limited healthcare access, addressing urgent needs across more than 190 countries and territories.
For those aiming to reduce holiday consumption, the organisation’s Child Survival Gifts offer a sustainable, waste-free way to share the holiday spirit meaningfully through purchasing on Unicef’s ecommerce shop. It couldn’t be easier to choose your gift, send a personalised card or ecard to a friend or loved one to tell them you have sent a lifesaving gift in their honour.
More than 30 million children have been displaced by conflict. Many of them are being enslaved, trafficked, abused and exploited. Many more are living in limbo, without official immigration status or access to education and healthcare.
Even the biggest Scrooge couldn’t grumble at giving things no child should be without, like essential vaccines, therapeutic food, clean water and emergency shelter.
For corporate gifting, Child Survival Gifts provide an impactful alternative that reflects a company’s values while making a lasting social impact. By choosing these gifts, companies can express appreciation in a way that resonates with clients and contributes to life-saving efforts worldwide – going beyond traditional gifts to make a powerful, positive difference.
Sarah Kiernan, from Trócaire’s fundraising team, explains its Gifts of Change are “decided through extensive consultation with our overseas staff, trusted partner organisations on the ground and the communities they support and are very much based on impact and need”.
Farming gifts are their most popular category, providing a helping hand for people to become self-sufficient. “Our animal gifts, sourced in-country, are very popular with goats being our biggest income driver last year, accounting for 10 per cent of all gift income, and we sell more individual gifts of chicks than any other gift.”
A new option available this year is the Gift of Play & Healing (€40) which provides tools that can help hurting children to process the trauma of war through the power of play therapy. “Children caught up in conflict witness horrors every day that no child should see. Hard as it is for adults to cope, it’s harder still for children,” says Kiernan.
Another addition cuts right to a core need – the Gift of Food & Nourishment (€50). “Hunger can be a constant companion for children caught in conflict. When food is scarce, children under five are at huge risk of malnutrition,” says Kiernan.
She recounts the story Tiranus, of a two-year-old in Sudan whose family ran out of food last year due to lack of rain and crop failure. “They had been surviving on nutritionally inadequate leaves and roots that led to Tiranus being malnourished. His mother Saida brought Tiranus to the malnutrition clinic in Thobo county which is run by Trócaire. She received food supplements high in nutrients and vitamins which saved his life.”