Christmas is fast approaching and the pressure is on to find that perfect gift for everyone. Children are pretty easy because they let us know loud and clear what they want, in fact, they don’t stop letting us know. For the rest of us, it can be tricky and frustrating so we often end up just buying a gift for gift’s sake. It’s not uncommon to end up with gifts that are often not needed and sometimes, not even wanted. However, there is an alternative, one which really fulfills the quota of giving someone something meaningful, something that will really improve the quality of their life - a charity gift. In fact, last year, this is exactly what I recieved - an Oxfam Unwrapped gift from my mother, where she had donated, on my behalf, to provide clean water for ten people in a country where it was needed. I have to say it really was the best present that I got that christmas, I was so touched that I shed a few tears. I had never received a gift like that before and was quite surprised by just how moved I was. So, maybe you can consider giving differently this year….in effect, a charity gift gives twice and when picked for the right person, can be a truly heartwarming experience.

Charity gifts come in many shapes and sizes just like your loved ones, so you should be sure to find something that satisfies each of their interests, whether it be your eco-friendly friend or your animal-loving aunty or even your globally-conscious girlfriend. I have listed 12 charities, which, between them offer a variety of gifts within different price ranges. For each one I have listed the lowest-priced gift and the highest, but there are plenty inbetween to choose from so be sure to check out their sites for full details.