Ethical goat gifts for Christmas

[redwellybluewelly]

I've only been on MN a year or so therefore shall offer apologies in advance if this is a well worn topic

DH, DD, and I were given the gift of a herd of goats in africa this christmas by a relative. Part of me thinks this is a great idea, part of me thinks this is someone making the point that they think we are materialistic and have everything we need and the money should be given to the more deserving.

This is mostly driven by the fact the giver of the goats gave the rest of the extended family ethical gifts (as we do too when the recipient likes them) of soap, food and pretty things. We got goats.

The goat giver has in the past made it clear that they think we live a wasteful life. We live within our means but we do recycle and try hard to live a low impact life

Laugh about it and pretend not to understand the concept by pretending that you have booked flights for your family to visit said goats and ask if they want to join you?

Goats are a waste of money for them but useful for where they are so (family in Africa) if they are being mean then at least someone benefited and think about how much they might like an adopted star/penguin for next Christmas?

I dislike these charity gifts and would never give them as gifts. If a person asks for a charity donation instead of a present or flowers etc to a certain charity its fine but not to do without asking.

I support a few charities close to my heart and the school fundraisers so chances are it would not be a charity i supported.

If truly stuck for gift ideas, they could have asked or gone with a gift voucher for the local shopping centre.

YANBU.

This is an AWFUL idea, please don't support it. Goats are the LAST thing Africa and the middle east needs!

Why? Goats are nature's bulldozers (that is their other name). They can climb trees and browse on the leaves, killing the tree. They eat grass - and the roots, too.

Goats and the overstocking of goats are a major cause of denuding and soil erosion. The Sahara is advancing southwards all the time (google Lake Chad 1950 and today).

I really wish right-on people would stop projecting their good intentions . If you want to help Africa, do anything that will help African girls, like mooncups or education. Seriously.

Bob Geldof has admitted that Live Aid made the famine in the horn of Africa worse (it did, because it was a marxist-driven man made famine, and the issue was bad leadership [Mengitsu]. Adding $$$$$$$ of soft Western 'aid' to the mix made everything MUCH worse). He came up against the real scourge of Africa, corruption and bad leadership, and has left his ideals behind. Thank goodness!

So please MN, don't support this goat gift thing and spread the word.

I think charity gifts are great and I much prefer them to yet another soap set. I always take it as a compliment when I get one, it says that they think you are far from materialistic.

I like charity gifts and would be happy to receive one as we have far too much in this familty. BIL (priest) always gives DD aged 8 a charity gift. He knows she gets far too much and this way, someone gets something they actually need.

DD is blase about it, (unfortunately) no great concern for the people her gift will be helping but equally not bothered about the lack of material present as she gets plenty from other aunts & uncles.

Think yourselves Lucky, I got chickens

I got a charity donkey

I don't like donkeys.

Maybe my donkey could be friends with your goat red?

Excuse me. Am I reading this right. People are annoyed that a charity got money on their behalf? Oh sod off.

Befevered, not all charity gifts are equal
some are total shite and do more harm than good, some are great - some thought should go into it, both in researching the charity itself and in choosing one that means something to the person getting the gift!

If someone gave me a charity donation in my name to a chartiy I volunteer for or particularly support that is really lovely! but there are some charities I actively don't support as well!

No befevered that if it was a Christmas gift for me then surely give to a charity i support such as BHF or dogs that she knows I like.

In fact why not just donate herself and not give a gift.

What people are annoyed about is the giver feeling that they are giving a "gift" to someone by giving a charity donation and involving a 3rd person needlessly in the transaction. The 3rd person doesn't benefit in any way, they neither receive a gift nor get to choose the charity that receives the gift, and are expected to act as though the giver has actually given them something.
I'd rather these givers were honest and just said "I'm rubbish at buying gifts and/ or think we all have enough stuff already so can we not exchange gifts this year and just wish each other merry christmas". Both parties could then give the money saved to a charity of their choice if they wished.

If they are into ethical gifts, that's fine - they can request everyone in the family to give them that type of gift instead.

Bet they're happy to accept "materialistic" presents.

Poppy as I've said above this person is very very happy to accept items which cost cold hard earned cash and people do spend a lot on the gift giver.

Which makes them a hypocrite doesnt it!

I understand it may not have been a chosen or desired charity but the fact they wanted to give the money to someone other than a department store should be the bit that stays with you through Christmas. Not that it wasn't what you wanted, but that it was what someone else needed, in the form of a goat. Someone got a goat and you have less stuff to find space for. Win win.

redwelly, thought as much.

Darkesteyes is right - what a hypocrite!

if you read some of the posts you'd see that a goat may be the LAST thing the village getting it needs actually!

befeveredthat's fine, then they should have said so upfront then 'Hey, lets not give each other 'stuff that we have to find space for. Lets just donate to charity instead'.

Bloody hell, I want a goat and need a goat. I have loads of killer brambles that are a perfect challenge for a single-minded goat.

And I have always thought about having fresh goats milk and homemade cheese

I wouldn't mind a charity gift at all. One less thing to clutter the house with.

Last year DS (who was 7 and has an ASD) was given a 'school supplies kit' from Cafod by my SIL. He opened the envelope and read the bumf. He then shook the envelope and looked puzzled. Finally he asked where his school kit was. When I explained he looked miffed, checked that some other child had 'his' present and then stated "Well, that's hardly fair now is it?"
This year we asked SIL not to give him a charity present - we were fine with her giving his present money to charity if she felt that was what she needed to do but to dress it up as a 'present' for him was not going to go down well!
DH and I got chickens. I hate chickens.

We got a sheep.

Time to suggest to SIL that you no longer exchange gifts and just send cards/ phone each other up for a chat.

Are they flat screen goats?

Oh the goat gift giver wasn't my SIL.

It is however the goat gift givers birthday very soon and DH (who has a wicked sense of humour) is plotting something...