Charity gifts that are a thing, not a card

[chantico]

Can anyone recommend any sites or specific charities that do these?

What I'm after is something that would make a nice token gift, and comes with a message that a donation has also been made. I remember seeing some tree decorations that were fundraisers that worked that way, but I simply can't remember where.

Good Candles good-candles.com

Tommy’s wave of light candle https://plumandashby.co.uk/collections/natural-scented-candles/products/tommys-wave-of-light-candle

Thank you - that's a lovely idea, but for personal reasons that's not going to be quite the right thing.

<hopeful bump>

You used to be able to get things like a random Christmas decoration that represented eg two chickens and a yak to a family in need, I think from Traidcraft, but they've scaled right back. And I was wondering if anywhere else did similar

Wouldn't you just go to a charity shop and buy something if you wanted to donate to a charity and get an item? And if you want to make it really obvious that you bought it from a charity shop, pay for the branded bag or keep the receipt or screenshot that entry on your card statement?

Most places have stopped sending out random tat due to caring about the environment (or pretending they do to appease stakeholders, at any rate).

Macmillan Cancer Support have an online gift shop with a christmas section.

They have a thing where you can make a donation in someone's name and get a card...not sure if they have a way to make a donation with an actual gift from the shop but it would have the Macmillan name on it so would be obvious it came from a charity. They do have some nice things in the shop.

You can also send christmas e-cards to people and make an optional donation with those.

Maybe they have.

But I wasn't after tat. By a random tree decoration, I meant one not necessarily connected to the theme of the donation, rather than one that was nasty and likely to be chucked. The Traidcraft stuff (if that was the org) was extremely nice.

Buying from a charity shop isn't what I'm after - I'd like the equivalent of a card promising a goat, but instead of it being a card, it's a pretty little item. Or perhaps a token item from a local collective when donating to a project in that locality.

The cards are from places like these

All Gifts (goodgifts.org)
Life Changing Gift Ideas | Concern Gifts

So I'm after the same approach, but with a thing not a card.

Cafod send coasters if you spend over £50 on supporting projects, but (Miss Picky here) I'd prefer not something obviously RC for my intended recipient

Probably not the charity you are after but wwf do packs with a cuddly toy, gift pack etc for a £30 donation

(If its for a child probably best)

Oxfam do Christmas decorations, and I think so charity gifts - you might be able to order both in one order?

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/sbo-christmas-decorations/category/sbo-christmas-decorations?N=1114254215&Ns=null&Ntk=&Nr=AND(product.active:1,NOT(sku.listPrice:0.000000))&No=0

Can you not buy the goat donation and then find a goat themed Christmas tree ornament as the token gift to open?

I think the WWF approach is what I'm after. Thank you!!

Any other organisations do similar?

Thanks - I'll look in to that!!

If they can bundle them to one recipient, it could be just the thing

Yes, if I can't find a what I'm looking for, then that's how I'd go about it as a fallback solution.

You could look at local zoos to see if they have any animal adoptions?

Or Toilet Twinning?

toilettwinning.org/

If you like the wwf idea then Redwings Horse sanctuary also do adoption packs, adopt a horse for a year. Definitely a good cause

The adopt an animal thing usually comes with a soft toy? I don't know if that's appropriate for your recipient.

I keep seeing pretty bracelets which track an animal (giraffe, shark, elephant...), sure it's connected to a charity on my Instagram feed

If you end up going down this route I can highly recommend Felt So Good for ethically produced Christmas tree decorations. I think they have free delivery too.

https://feltsogood.co.uk/

Someone mentioned it above but Fhalo do bracelets with an animal symbol on that you can track an animal with. I adopted a gorilla for my dd as one of her gifts (her request) and was interested to see that many now make it v clear that the gift is a cost burden for them and encourage you to select the option without one. One event specified that 33% of your donation was paying for the gift you’d get. Just mentioning as it was a notable shift from last time I made a donation like that.

How about something like jewellery from the Starfish project which is made by women escaping domestic violence, or Harry Specter's chocolates that specifically employs autistic staff? Not quite a "donation" but supporting a good cause

That jewellery is lovely! I might have to drop hints to nearest and dearest that I'd like something from there!

I send cards. I like to receive them.
I also donate to charity, both throughout the year and at Christmas.
I don't publicise either.

I'd be so much more impressed if someone said "I'm giving up my presents and donating to charity" rather than stop the thing that gives pleasure to others.

People that put the "no cards but charity" on social media go way down in my estimation.