Do you know anyone who WOULD'NT appreciate an Oxfam gift?

[Spagblogganing]

You know, those gifts of goats, medicines etc.

I am wondering whether to send a gift of 25 trees to my aunt and uncle. We never meet up with them, and I don't know them very well...

What do you think?
Anyone brave enough to admit on here that they wouldn't like it as a gift themselves?

I still cannot believe that so many of you think that a donation to a charity as a gift for someone you barely know is wrong. Or even if you know them well.

Christmas is about giving not receiving (except for those in need obviously). Grrrrr

Martian, good to hear from you, best wishes.

CHEAP AND SELFISH

wtf?

I must go before I self-destruct. I simply cannot believe what I am reading hear.

if you want to give to charity then you should tell others not to give you presents but to give to charity on your behalf (but telling others you have given their present to charity - well really!)

Firstly, Hi to MB and glad to see you here!

Now, how on earth can it be selfish to give money to charity? Surely it's more selfish to be pissed off about it?

And it's not fake - sure, your £5 dos not go directly to a text book publisher (or whatever) - it's just a way for Oxfam to give an idea of how their overall donations are broken down. They've got enough on without tracking every individual donation.

Am surprised at how many of you think giving something on someone else's behalf is an insult. I wouldn't do it for a child, as I said, but for an adult to be insulted is a bit rum, imo.

but sobernow why wouldn't you just give to chARITY for yourself. Surely it's up to other people to decide for themselves whether or nor they wish to give.

I love what some of my friends are doing this year - buying charity gifts instead of sending Xmas cards - birthing kits for midwives, safe water, Crisis pressies.

Christmas isn't about giving rather than receiving. If you believe that you live in Cloud Cuckoo Land. It's about manufacturers, marketing companies and shops coming up with as many ideas as possible to part us from our hard-earned cash! Why else would the shops be flooded at this time of year with 'Gifts' i.e. those packs of toiletries, travel clocks, etc you wouldn't buy at any other time of year?

I do give to charity myself, and so can the teachers if they want to. I'm just giving school related Oxfam unwrapped things to them as a way of acknowledging the reason we're all in the school grounds at the same time - they're not my friends. And if I don't think they're especially good teachers I can still recognise our common interest.

And anyway, at the dds' school there is a queue of women with ostentatiously wrapped stuff at 3.15 on the last day of term. I'm not getting into that competition.

My MIL would never speak to me again-

I hope, she has an alpaca coming her way

Oh the other poeple who get them- Cm gets one along with wine and chocs; teachers get one witha bar of chcolate (G&B), and DS1's godmoher is getting one, as she is into HIV education and that's what its for- she also gets G&B. She is exceptionally well off, can buy (and does buy) what she needs and we haven't seen her in years.

Its like any gift: you wouldn't give some people flowers, or a DVD- well the same right for the person principle applies.

agree that it's good idea for school gifts - teachers don' tneed 30 boxes of choc or wine ( or do they?!)
I give to charity and it makes me feel good, but I don't need to share that with others 'wrapped up' as a gift to them

Yes, my mother!!

so I take it all of you who are giving to charity for a present are requesting the same in return? After all REAL charity would be giving up your own presents NOT someone else's.

I have sent my sisters an Oxfam wish list yes, I don't think they bought from them but I would have preferred it if they had. MIl is getting me sod all as I made the fatal error of marrying her perfect son; godmother will only buy kids stuff.

well done peachy that is how the oxfam gift scheme should be used.

I think these gifts are a great idea,and personally would prefer them too woolly ponchos Iam never going to wear, I gave them to my brother, bil/sil, and pil last year, only my brother was thrilled, pil said they didnt believe the gifts actually got there and bil didn't even mention it

i love oxfam unwrapped personally but I am under strict instructions NOT to buy them for ILs as according to dh they would be insulted and probably send us to coventry! i think that's childish really, as i don't think adults should judge how much they're loved by what people have bought them

Bizarre idea. As others have said, if you want to give to charity, go ahead and do it and don't make such a song and dance about it. Why involve someone else in your contribution? Would rather have no present than such a backhanded contribution. I only buy for close family, esp, children and send a card to the rest. Either you know someone well enough to buy them a personal present or you don't - in which case, why buy them any kind of present? These sorts of presents are all about the giver feeling good about themselves - which is not in the spirit of Christmas at all IMO.

Mum has said she'd love us to get them for her in the future (got her something else this year) she doesn't have the money to donate to charity herself, and as she goes without a lot (no car, no owned house etc etc- their pension plans collapsed) I think its amazing she has asked, and completely blows the blowing your own trumper idea away. however, I would get her something else as well as I would hate to see her lose out.

Hi Spaqdlogganing

What a can of worms this has opened. Can't believe some of the posts do some people realize how lucky they are???

Most people in the world willl never know what let alone see what a lipstick is, they'll probably never get a gift in their lives.
2/3 of the world's population live in extreme poverty-no clean water, no medcine, no food, they die of simple things like childbirth, maleria, infection and dirty water. We have no idea until we see it.

one dollar or pound a day changes their lives that's one chocolate bar or pack of gum to us.

I actually asked dh for oxfam gift.
I wonder what the world would be like if we could all give up a gift or two???????????????????????????????????????????
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??????????????????????????????????????????// I reakon just get them the oxfam gift, even if they really didn't like it they'll get over it and the gift would change someones life. Also if they are old/older they are more likely to love it as most people don't need want more stuff and it probably would be quite amazing to them. rant over

I would find it both rude and selfish if someone did this to me. If you want to make a donation to a charity of your choice, great, but how is that a present for someone else exactly?

If they ask you specifically to donate to their favourite charity instead of buying them a present then it is fine.