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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What do you do for charities around christmas time?

118 replies

Lifeisshort123 · 06/09/2016 22:08

I was wondering what other do to teach their children about helping those in need over the christmas period?
We always do christmas shoeboxes as I have had the opportunity to hand deliver these boxes and its a very personal thing for me, I also let each of my kids pick out an item of food for our local food bank of there choice as long as it was on the list. I was thinking of doing the shoeboxes and something else apart from letting the kids pick something for our local food bank.
I know its only september but christmas will be here before we know it!

OP posts:
NotMyMoney · 07/09/2016 19:41

We don't give money to charity (will give to red cross, emmaus and others I feel strongly about when they go out collecting or passing) I spend 4-8 hours a week with DC3 (2) volunteering at our local crime rehabilitation (not dangerous) project (permanent) we do alsorts and they get as much out of helping DC as DC does!

pleasemothermay1 · 07/09/2016 19:41

We have a older person round ours for christams dinner

Age concern

It was actually really nice however I will be asking if we can pay for a cab as I was unable to have a drink until I had dropped them Ho,e witch was a bit 😕

Scaredycat3000 · 07/09/2016 20:49

All posts with operation christmas information are being deleted that has any information on them.

Scaredycat3000 · 07/09/2016 20:59

Life
Please remove. Thank you.
Odd post?

mygorgeousmilo · 07/09/2016 21:29

We do a thing each day of the month of December. Depending on how much money we have, the things go up and down in price, but they're usually quite specific to Christmas, as in, day 1 - buy an elderly neighbour a box of mince pies and sit with them to enjoy one if they'd like you to (bonus add +1 poinsettia if feeling flush). Day 2 buy turkey and stuffing sandwiches, or similar for the homeless. Etc. Etc. Other bigger things that we do/have done, include finding out when our nearest nursing home is having a Christmas tea, and bringing them things to enjoy with it such as biscuits, decent coffee, Christmassy cake, buying a few decorations from poundland. Be warned, you will be chatting for hours 😀 We have taken Christmas themed books up to Great Ormond Street and given to the wards, all £1 from a warehouse shop. The food bank also around Christmas should usually be happy to accept things like little hat and glove sets etc. As people struggling to buy food will no doubt be struggling in other areas too. Buy the big issue and get the guy a hot chocolate, too. Give Christmas cards to all of your neighbours, even if they don't give to you, it doesn't matter. I was thinking about this the other day, I might write a list of things to do, and then allocate days to do them across the calendar for December, although a lot of the time it's spontaneous. We helped a vulnerable family with all the essentials one year, but it was a pure coincidence that we even knew about them, so unless you come across someone in difficult circumstances, that one could be tricky.... Sorry, I'm thinking and typing without editing as I go along!! I'm going to look through the thread for ideas now BrewHalo

Lifeisshort123 · 07/09/2016 21:46

I hope you can find some good ideas, I've found lots i think I may get the kids involved with making sandwiches as that's inexpensive if we use cheaper sandwich fillers such as cheese spread ect and maybe even Jam. I was thinking if we put the sandwich in a ziplock bag we could include a Christmas card/note in the bag too. If we wrap the sandwich in foil of course. Not 100% sure yet but I know we will do what we always do like ive meantioned in previous posts and perhaps buy some present for a children ward or something similar but I am hoping to mix things up each year so perhaps next year we can do some of the other things people have suggested.

OP posts:
rosesarered9 · 07/09/2016 23:05

We always do a parcel for families who can't afford basic stuff eg. duvets, coats, water bottles etc.
I think salvation army and samaritans do them.

rosesarered9 · 07/09/2016 23:07

Samaritans link

Lifeisshort123 · 07/09/2016 23:26

Great idea!

OP posts:
youredeadtomesteven · 07/09/2016 23:43

Buy from the shops and then give to the shops after Christmas too Grin

exexpat · 08/09/2016 08:25

rosesarered9 - that link is to Samaritan's Purse (US-based fundamentalist, right-wing, anti-gay, anti-feminist, evangelical Christian organisation* which distributes gift boxes to children in developing countries as a way of encouraging them to sign up for bible classes) rather than Samaritans, the UK charity which helps people in times of emotional crisis etc.

Unfortunately the similar names mean people keep getting them confused, and the good reputation of Samaritans probably means Samaritan's Purse gets more donations from British families than it otherwise would.

As far as I am aware neither Samaritans or Samaritan's Purse distribute duvets, coats etc but your local homeless charity or women's shelter might appreciate them. I give packs of (new) socks and underwear plus used warm clothing to my local homeless night shelter and One25, a charity which helps get women out of street sex work (organisations like these need stuff all year round, not just at Christmas).

  • note to MNHQ - please do not delete this description - I am happy to provide copious references to back up this description of Samaritan's Purse and I am not scared by their legal threats.
Scaredycat3000 · 08/09/2016 10:04

clearly you are allowed to have your own view on the charity.
Clearly not if they don't agree with you OP.
Reader, this thread is so biased I'm thinking of leaving MN little tear comes to my eye

BiddyPop · 08/09/2016 10:49

I tend to donate lots to charity shops - in advance enough of Christmas so that they should be able to put them out for sale (early November). I often also buy things there.

I buy a trolley load for the local Lion's Club appeal - I put together "a family shop" with lots of ordinary food and cleaning items etc, things like toothbrushes and toiletries, nappies and baby wipes etc, and a few nice treat things for the festive season too. (I've often been asked if I was sure as I drop it to the collectors - they usually only get a couple of items each from the shoppers who do give to them whereas I come over with a groaning trolley - but I have been gathering things for weeks on special offers and bogofs etc so it doesn't actually cost as much as it seems).

DD also buys and wraps a toy for the Lion's Club toy appeal - picking something that she knows someone her age, or younger, would enjoy.

At work, there is someone who arranges a collection for the homeless charity in the city centre - looking for warm hats, socks, gloves, toiletries and bigger things if we want. So I usually put a few bits into those sacks in the hall.

Something I tend to do all winter is give a couple of the homeless guys that are regulars near work (and actually homeless as opposed to just beggars) my coffee cards. The ones where the coffee shop stamps for each hot drink you buy and you get a free drink when it's full - it means they can get one when it suits them. As I don't like to give money. But there are a couple of coffeeshops that are happy for me to "buy" a few coffees but stamp up a bunch of cards instead and I can hand them out - I tend to do that to have extra when the weather gets particularly chilly.

I buy cards to support a few different charities, and while I buy them in stores if I don't have time, I will get them direct from the charity if possible to maximize their income from them. And we have done a few different Oxfam charity presents for family over the years - there are a few goats, chickens, sets of classroom books and a couple of limbs for amputees floating around.

While I didn't want to do the Samaritan's purse boxes, I did research it before and found a few other places that did similar collections without the same philosophy behind them. The Humanist society did one, and "Mary's Backpacks" was another that I can recall. I don't really have a chance in recent years to put those together though.

There are various charity collections and draws that I contribute to (they explode at Christmas but there are plenty throughout the year), or things like "Jersey Day" in October at work.

I volunteer for an organization supporting children year round - the Scouts. That might not be the most worthy, but while we are in an affluent area, there are also parts with serious deprivation and the troupe actually has a number of families from the less well off parts as well. We are supporting all of them to develop into good and responsible and able young people and adults while giving them opportunities for fun and adventure.

I don't tend to advertise most of those - they are just part of who I am and what I do. I will tend to buy locally and ethically where possible. I give my old books to old folks homes and charity shops. I give to various collections but don't sign up on the street to monthly subscriptions. But I just do what I think I can to help others around me - and I know that is terribly middle-class of me, but I do work FT, I do have a DD to support at home and I do also like to enjoy a certain quality of life as achieving that is quite stressful (I am the person with a permanent pensionable job in our house so I need to stay in it - but I also need to be the person supporting DH in his travels, keeping the household running and supporting wider family from afar). So I'm afraid that it does need to fit around what I find possible.

LunaLoveg00d · 08/09/2016 11:02

We've done the Mary's meals backpacks through school and it was a GREAT project. You weren't asked to provide a fully kitted out bakpack, you are given a list of what they need in the packs and you send in what you can.

It doesn't have to be new either as long as it is in good condition. We sent things like pens, pencils, notebooks, t-shirts and Crocs along with the backpack, everything went into school and the senior pupils and staff sorted it all out. The charity will then come and collect the backpacks. If I remember correctly they went to Malawi.

I am always very suspicious of ANY organisation which seeks to stifle debate about what it does, and how it does it. Makes me think they probably have something to hide.

Lifeisshort123 · 08/09/2016 17:58

What a lovely idea!

OP posts:
Lifeisshort123 · 08/09/2016 17:59

Yep they only collect at Christmas time?

OP posts:
ItsABanana · 08/09/2016 18:14

We either get a few bits and pieces for the local food bank or do one of the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

ItsABanana · 08/09/2016 18:17

I donate to my local FB all year round - I tend to put more treats in round Christmas time such as Advent Calendars ( November obviously) and mice pies

Mice pies?! Mmm, yum..... Hmm Grin

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