Animal sponsorship as Christmas gift

[Gormless]

Every year I buy gifts for a couple of friends’ kids, but I find it increasingly hard to know what to get them and am also feeling a bit guilty about just seeming to buy evermore Stuff. Someone’s told me those ‘sponsor a (insert name of animal) here’

Post too soon! ...those sort of Pet or animal sponsorship gifts are good because the recipient gets regular post (which can be exciting for kids) and obviously it benefits the charity. Anyone got any experience of these? I don’t want to get something kids will hate either...

When I was younger (teens) one of my friends grandparents used to get him that. One year a goat, following year an actual toilet.....

He was the butt of many a joke and we all had a good laugh about it.

So I wouldn't do that personally.

My daughter asked for the WWF sponsor a snow leopard two years ago, she was 5. It came with a cuddly leopard, fact pack with stickers and bookmarks and there were a couple of updates sent. She has asked to sponsor a dog this year.
I would think it's worth speaking to the parents to see what they think.

Hillside farm is good www.hillside.org.uk/

It’s not a present though is it. It’s a morality booster for the buyer.

I think it’s a really lovely idea. However, most recipients will resent not getting x amount of tat and won’t really appreciate the consideration at the heart of it. I wish this were not the case but humans are essentially selfish.

My kids both would have and still would, at 13 and 18, love that.

Not the oxfam goat. Sponsor a snow leopard or a guide dog puppy type thing.

A friend’s daughter loves tigers and was very happy to receive sponsorship of a tiger as her Christmas present one year. It probably depends on the child (like most things ).

The ones where you get a cuddly toy would get down well with my DC. (age 4-8)

Dogs trust is a good one. The dog "writes" to you a few times a year. I take my letters in to my reception class and they adore hearing what the dog has been up to.

Definitely one of the WWF ones with a cuddly toy and the child also gets a magazine quarterly as well. Or if you did a dog sponsorship could you buy a cuddly toy as well?

As for the “morality boost” comment above, that’s just mean spirited. It IS a gift as children then learn about benefitting others as well as getting a token present.

My 7 year old would like it. We've adopted a monkey from MonkeyWorld for my Gran for christmas this year!

Mine have had animal sponsorship but it was for a specific animal sanctuary we did Wwf but it wasn't child friendly imo after tthe initial news letter/soft toy , so yes i think it is a great idea.

@Bettyscandle that is where ours is for and you get a free pass to visit

My DD came home from school with the WWF leaflet three years ago and asked for sponsorship as a Christmas present and wanted it renewed last year and this year. OTOH DS would be very unimpressed with this as a gift.

DD got one for her birthday, but she asked specifically for it. She did a Animal badge for the brownies and had to research conservation projects. She fell in love with obscure Indonesian tree dweller and immediately asked to exchange something from her wish list.

So, yes it is a lovely idea and teaches children but I would carefully ask the parents first.

We sponsored a penguin once and it came with a free ticket to the sea life centre (only problem was dd expected to see her penguin there). I bought her a cuddly penguin to go with it but some of them come with a cuddly toy.

Hi folks, really grateful for all your help. And yes- I should just ask the parents! I can see how some kids would hate it and I don’t want to be that annoying relative that gives unwanted gifts. Good to see lots of you have had good experiences though too.

I worked for a great guy who was a multimillionaire. I would buy a token gift as he could afford anything he wanted 10 times over. I year I sponsored a dung beatle for him at London Zoo. I knew he'd see the funny side. He loved it and took the whole family to see it (never mentioned the fact he had to pay for his wife and two daughters as it only came with one free ticket) and his teenage daughter picked out the one they thought looked most like him.

^ love that :)

@MrsJayy that's why I got it! She's obsessed with the tv show and will be going to visit in the summer, so makes it great value :)

I like that she can literally see 'her' monkey :)

She will love it @Bettyscandle it really is a lovely place to visit we didn't go this year it is quite far for us but i think we are going next year for Dd birthday.