To expect to be able to find threads that i started so i can update them, so just in case you are interested...............................................

[exasperatedmummy]

I recently started a thread about AIBU to shop for ILs pressies in charity shop. Then during that thread i was pointed in the direction of oxfam gifts (thankyou very much for that).

Ran that past DP, i honestly thought he would say - FFS these people get enough money as he is quite sceptical about the big charities. But bless him, he got quite emotional when he saw the £6 for 100 school dinners bit so we are going to do this. I'm thinking of buying his parents a goat - What i was wanting to ask was, if you buy a goat, do oxfam go and buy a goat and give it to a family in need of goat, or is it just that £25 would buy a goat and the money goes into a general fund. I know it seems pernickity of me, but if i were to do this, i really do want them to do the whole goat thing - its sort of in my mind then that someone somewhere has a goat because of me - daft i know, but does anyone know this>?

Also, i did manage to buy a really lovely thing for my ILs in the charity shop - i have surpassed myself this time, its the height of naff, but still nice and i know my MIL will love it - Its just that the box is a bit tatty and DP wont consider giving it in the box (i said we could say it was the last one in the shop), the thing is, it comes with a display box and it just needs a new box around the outside but it would have to be exactly fitting, does anyone know of places where i could buy stuff to make boxes, or at least a pattern, then make out of card - oh yes, im going down the frugal road this year

I don't know if that £25 definetly goes to a goat but I would assume so as it would make you feel better

Also the box thing , could you not just open it out flat and then draw round it onto some card and fold the new card the same way as the old broken box ? does that make any sense at all ?

Well, as far as I know - no it doesn't actually work out as gift of goat = goat for specific family. Those are list of things they buy, and they shuffle the money around to make sure that they don't end up with two much of one type of thing and not enough of others, iyswim?

I am still quite fond of it all the same.

yes, it does, thats a good idea, i don't even have to do fancy card really do i - thanks for thjat

If you have a wee one at home you could always get them to decorate the card .

In laws are always impressed with that kind of thing and if they are not they can't be rude about it anyway

Explanation here of how Oxfam spend your money.

And if you look at all the clicky bits at the top of the page there is one that says "threads I started" and you can click on that and it lists all the ones you started...

We gift a sheep every year for Eid (not through oxfam but similar muslim charity).We cannot I suppose be 100% certain that it gets there but I want to believe it does. We need to trust people more nowadays that is the point of charity.
Whatever happens, the intention was definitely there and your heart is in the right place.

You could also 'Watch' your threads and they'll be bookmarked forever then.

ilove, i did that and i still coudlnt find it, what i cant understand is why, because there were threads i started previous to that still there

thanks for that cornflake, that is good to know, we can't afford much, but at least it goes to a general area which i feel strongly about +++++