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An alternative Christmas gift
By Hannah Ricci
Mother-of-two and teacher Wendy Shan from Portsmouth received a live chicken from her father-in-law last Christmas. A strange gift you might think, but the chicken was sent on her behalf, to help a farmer in Africa. "We get far too much at Christmas, and the hen was definitely the present that gave me the most pleasure last year," says Wendy. The chicken was a gift from charity Send a Cow (sendacow.com), which gives direct help to African farmers by providing livestock, with training and advice on how to rear them.
Charity presents
"My husband Rob's family has been exchanging charity presents for several years, and this Christmas I am joining in," says Wendy. "I am going to give all the children in the family, including my four-year-old son, the gift of giving other children the chance to go to school, which costs just £7 from the charity Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD - cafod.org.uk). I think it will help the children learn about the world and they will enjoy knowing that they have helped another child less fortunate than themselves."
Wendy is buying similar presents for her adult friends and family. "I like the thought involved in buying charity presents, rather than spending money on something material that they may or may not like. For example, my father-in-law is interested in gardening, so I know he would appreciate the gift of sending seeds and tools to an African farmer."
An ethical Christmas
Families throughout the UK are shunning the extravagance and pressure of spending this year and trying different ways to celebrate without forgoing the festive season altogether. Opting for an ethical or environmentally-friendly Christmas has become very popular. A huge number of charities, including Oxfam, World Vision, Save the Children and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), have launched alternative gift guides this year. As well as charity gifts, they sell everything you might need, from organic Christmas cake to recycled wrapping paper, cards and tree decorations.
When it comes to presents, however, it does depend on who you are buying for. If your teenage son is expecting a shiny new iPod, he probably won't be too happy to find you have donated a goat on his behalf. So it's worth explaining to friends and family what you plan to do this year. That said, many of the charity gift catalogues have an impressive selection of presents, so if you are buying a proper gift why not opt for one where your money will be going to a good cause, or that has been ethically made. This means buying from companies, such as Fair Trade (fairtrade.org.uk) or Tearcraft (tearcraft.org), that abide by ethical guidelines, including safe and hygienic working conditions, no exploitation of children and paying a reasonable wage.
Cutting costs
But even if your Christmas spending is worthy, it can still add up. That's why Jo Gottschalk, a freelance media consultant, and her husband Clive make a conscious effort to cut costs at Christmas. "I used to leave it to the last minute and end up spending a fortune, but we now have a 22-month-old son, so it's just not possible," Jo says. "Now we prepare for Christmas all year round." She makes all her own Christmas cards, gift tags and decorations. "Last year, we took pictures of our son Josh with a festive theme, stuck them on a card and wrote a personalised message. We have found that friends and family who haven't seen us in a while really like this." For friends and family overseas, Jo saves money on postage by sending virtual charity cards online.
Jo and Clive shop throughout the year for gifts, picking up bargains in the sales. They are also giving out vouchers this year. "We are creating vouchers for favours like one night's babysitting, a taxi service for an evening, or taking the kids for a trip to the park - things that people need throughout the year, but often don't like asking for." For Josh and other children in the family, Jo visits nationwide sales held by the National Childbirth Trust and buys nearly-new toys and clothes. "We've bought a play kitchen in great condition for just £15 - the same model is about £60 on the high street," she says.
For general shopping, Jo and Clive make use of two-for-one deals, using price comparison sites like Kelkoo.com, and buy their turkey late on Christmas Eve. "I reckon we save about 40% on what we used to spend," says Jo. Their approach shows that the secret to saving money at Christmas is planning ahead, and giving thoughtful and helpful presents rather than trying to guess what people will like.
Jetting away
But even if you opt for a budget or eco-friendly Christmas, it's still difficult to escape the commercialism and pressure to spend. That's why Jude and Greg Marris from Harlow in Essex escape the chaos of Christmas and take their family abroad for the festive season. Jude and Greg and their three children jet away for a one or two-week break every Christmas. "We're lucky in that we have a few family members in different countries, but even if we didn't I think we would still go abroad because it's nice to get away from it all, and bit of sun doesn't hurt either," says Greg.
More and more families are jetting off to sunnier climes - or even to unusual winter destinations like Lapland to spend Christmas in a log cabin in front of a blazing fire. It doesn't cost as much as you might think. The expense of hosting Christmas dinner to extended family and friends is out, and if you have children, the present count can fall.
So before you traipse down to the high street with a shopping list as long as your arm, think about whether you should break the mould and do something a little different
this Christmas.
Gift ideas
For Dad: Earthly Goods Ethical travel guide: £12.99
Contact: shop.wwf.org.uk
For Mum: Oxfam Fair Trade necklace: £9.99
Contact: oxfam.org.uk/shop
For the kids: Tearcraft Noah's Ark 3D Jigsaw: £17.50
Contact: tearcraft.org
For teens: Tearcraft Chain photo frame: £7.00
Contact: tearcraft.org
For Grandparents: Earthly Goods 'Love in a bag' (wildflower seeds): £10.99
Contact: shop.wwf.org.uk
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