Reverse advent calendar / gift donations

[PinkJam]

I originally posted this on the bargain hunting thread so apologies if you’ve already seen this.

I have read in the past that people do reverse advent calendars (of food?) to donate to charities. I would very much like to do one this year and wondered which charities people do them with? Food banks? And do only do food or can give toiletries etc?

Also, I have bought a couple of presents (and hope to buy a couple more) to give to a charity for children that might not otherwise get much. Where would you recommend I do this? Not the shoeboxes, just individual presents.

Thanks to anyone that can advise. And perhaps would be nice to post ideas on this thread and what we have bought

What a lovely idea. Will wait for knowledgeable people to help.
Think I’ll get my boys involved in this too. So they can think about giving and not just about receiving

@Ssfb3 Yes I am thinking the same with DC. Gets them to think about others and not just focused on what presents they want for Christmas.

I’m going to give my local food bank a call on Monday and ask them what is usually needed most that time of year.

DC's school did that last year. It was twelve days reverse calendar. School sent a list what to bring in each day. The food went to local food bank.

Thank you for this lovely thread @PinkJam. I'm watching for ideas with interest. Our village does a toy gift thing but I'd quite like to do something for the teen age group. [My 5 DD's have all flown the nest.] As a family we do a Christmas RAK competition. So in December we all secretly do a Christmas random act of kindness and on Christmas Eve dinner we all relate what we have done and vote on which we think had the most positive impact - the best one wins a selection box. I'm aware that the point of the RAK is not to brag about it but it encourages us all to try hard with it - not that any of us is anxious to win the selection box nowadays but in our defence we started this when the DD's were small as a way to get them to think about others who might not be as fortunate as them. It's just a silly little thing we do in our family but I'm very aware that we could do a lot more.

@recklessgran that's a lovely idea and one I'm going to adopt as my babies grow up!!

I'm pretty sure the Met. Police do something for gifting to children don't they? Might be good for anyone in the London area. Sorry I don't know the details but I'm sure someone will be along with more knowledge soon.

This is a lovely idea but, as someone who volunteers in a food bank, can I ask that you don't do it in December but in November instead?

Last year quite a few people did this and tried to donate the stuff on Christmas Eve. By that point all of our food boxes had gone out and so all the lovely Christmas food didn't make it to families in time. If we'd had it earlier in the month it would have been so much more useful.

We try to get a food parcel out to any family that has used our food bank at least a week before Christmas. It helps them work out what to buy as they then know what we have been able to provide.

@banskuwansku I am glad that schools are getting involved - we can all make such a difference by doing even small things such as this.

@recklessgran Thank you Buying gifts for teenagers is a good idea - I would think more gifts are given for younger children so I am going to copy you and buy something for teens!

And I agree with @Whitecandle that the random acts of kindness is a lovely idea

@Sportycustard Someone mentioned that on the bargains thread so thank you and yes I will start it in November Based on your experience, do you think it’s better to do basics or more treat type stuff?

Thanks for the tip about dropping off festive treats in November, sportycustard, useful to know that that's not too early.

Quite a few local radio stations organise toy collections, so might be worth googling for your area, OP? They usually have drop off points in shopping centres etc.

We're doing the reverse advent calendar too. I'm going to save a cardboard box from one of my online deliveries then getting DS to decorate it.

Quick question to anyone that knows: do they hand the entire box over to a family or will they split the stuff up? Just wondering if there's any point in decorating the box or if it'll just be binned.

I'm thinking of putting some 'treat' stuff in mine rather than just essentials. So like posh chocolates, posh shower gels, a bit of make-up etc. Hope that'll go down well.

@pinkjam it's probably worth checking with your local food bank but if unsure do a mix of non perishable food and treat items. Toiletries are always welcome too.

Last year we tried to make sure everyone had either a Christmas pudding or mince pies, some nice biscuits and some chocolates. Please don't forget custard for the Christmas pudding! Often we don't get that.

Last year there were some good offers on Christmas treats in October so you might get more to donate if you start earlier too.

@MerlinsScarf Thank you, yes I seem to remember in previous years that a local radio station advertised a collection. I just think they should make wools more aware of exactly where to gifts are going and how they will ensure they go to the people that need them the most

@Looking4wards That is a very good point! I hadn’t even considered whether the whole box would be gifted to one person or whether it would be split up.

@Sportycustard Thank you for your help. Christmas puddings and mince pies are on the list

The met police Christmas Tree appeal is brilliant if you're in London. It doesn't open till Nov, you register online then you get allocated an age and gender to buy for and then drop the present at your local
Police station.

Love the reverse advent calendar idea! Thanks for the info x

I will follow this thread with interest. It's a really lovely idea and I'd really like contribute a little. If anyone knows of charities/organisations in the South Wales area please let me know

The Salvation Army do a toy appeal in our area every year. My DB and SIL attend so I send gifts via them. They do struggle for stuff for teens.

I donate a box of Christmas food and toiletries at the end of November to the food bank.

Our school instead of charging for tickets for the Christmas plays ask for a donation for the food bank instead.

The teachers at dcs school don’t send each other cards and instead all donate the cost of the cards to a kitty they then take a group of kids to choose toys which are donated to a local toy appeal.

Don't forget too that donations of actual advent calendars, at the beginning of November to allow time to distribute, go down well.

I think someone has already mentioned the Metropolitan Police running a gift collection. Capital Radio usually do a similar sort of thing. I volunteer for Home Start, who would accept presents for Under 5s, and may be worth trying local hospitals too.

The gifts thing, our local Tesco does a collection point in association with a local radio station. They have trolleys in the shop and people can donate gifts for less fortunate kids. They've done this for years. Maybe your local Tesco/Asda does similar.

You can always contact your local women's shelter and gifts things via them. I'm sure they will have more women and mother's fleeing violence over the festive period.

Alternatively I think your local church may have a collection point. Some will be for local kids, some for kids overseas, ask at local churches and if they don't do a specific collection, they will know of one that does.

The Salvation Army have a collection point for toys in our Sainsburys next to the Food Bank one. If you have Nectar points and they have a double up promotion which they often do in November you can use that to buy toys, books etc, in the past I have also used it for crackers for the foodbank. No food in that promotion though. I follow our food bank on FB, they post what they need regularly and give seasonal guidance.

I'm going to be really vague here, sorry about that! A couple of years in a row, someone has posted on here a link to a shop (John Lewis?) with a number for the wishlist of a charity, this one being Womens Refuge. There are lists of items they want and you buy it online and they receive it, the charity I mean. Does this ring any bells with anyone? Would love to be able to do it again.

We do it in our office, donations go to the local food bank

I do this every year for my local women's refuge. I wrap up 2 show boxes, one for a woman and one for a child. I fill it up with a mixture of treats like a lipstick and toiletries for mum. For the kids box it will be small toys, chocolates and a colouring book & pencils.

I used to give my best friend a food hamper at Christmas but since she died earlier this year, I'll donate it to the food bank instead. I'll make it up as usual in the same basket I've used for years but will donate it to the food bank in her memory.

Sorry to hear about your friend FluffyAlpaca19. What a nice thing to do in her memory.

73kittycat73 thank you. I miss her very much and it'll be different this Christmas without her.

We have a local homeless hostel and donate things there. We do a mixture of easy cook/ microwaveable stuff with long shelf life, staples like tea bags and coffee and more christmassy treat stuff.