This article is written by Matthew Tucker and is part of the Webjam Charity Channel
With presents under the tree, crowds of shoppers in the streets and money exchanging hands like there’s no recession, Christmas is that time of year when giving is the top of our lists.
But is there still room for the act of charitable giving amongst the credit card transactions?
Christmas could be viewed as a time when the religious side of the festival competes with the commercial side, vying for attention in the global celebration. Charitable Giving is clear in the Bible, including the three kings carrying gifts to the baby Jesus and the biblical Proverb 19:6: “Everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts”. But with 21st Century Christmas comes Santa Claus: the high street retailer’s best friend.
A well-known story of the battle between miserly self-interest and charitable giving at Christmas time is the Charles Dickens’ novel ‘A Christmas Carol’. The story deals with the same two realities that charities and the Third Sector seek to combat: poverty and social injustice. In the end, Ebenezer Scrooge realises the error of his ways and gives his wealth away to help those in need.
So is the symbolic Scrooge still alive in society today? Does the Third Sector do well in the donations stakes at Christmas?
Thanks to the ingenuity and marketing skills of many charities, fundraising at Christmas time is nearly always a success. By capitalising on the tradition of Christmas gifts, charities have raised funds through the Alternative Gift Market; the act of buying a loved one the gift of a charity donation in place of a materialistic possession. This form of giving has grown in popularity over the years, with consumers able to buy tools, goats, chickens, water wells and fruit trees on behalf of their family and friends for those in need.
Other Christmas fundraising schemes include charity Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations, to name just a few. So the fundraising potential at Christmas is as good for charities as it is for the high street shops.
Here are just a few charitable causes that have Christmas in mind:
Christmas Card Aid: Card Aid provides a unique service to charities and the general public to ensure that the profits from charity Christmas cards go to charity.
Make a Wish: Make this holiday season special by helping a child's dream come true. Make a Wish's unique holiday donation options will help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Samaritans Purse: Operation Christmas child: Take an ordinary shoe box, fill it with toys and other presents, and you have an extraordinary gift for a child in need of joy and hope.
My Two Front Teeth: My Two Front Teeth offers a personalised online gift-giving experience to aid underprivileged children. These children are selected through community organisations and allowed to individually pick their one holiday wish.
Angel Tree: Angel Tree is a ministry of Prison Fellowship, delivering love in the form of Christmas gifts and a message of hope to children of prisoners.
Alternative Gifts International: The global mission of AGI is to send authentic, life-giving gifts to a needy world - gifts that build a partnership with people in crisis and that protect and preserve the earth's endangered environment.
Toys for Tots:Donate a new toy or give a donation to help make Christmas a little brighter for a needy child in your community.
Holiday Project: The Holiday Project's mission is to enrich the experience of the holidays by arranging visits to people confined to nursing homes, hospitals and other institutions.
Christmas Wish Programs: Christmas Wish Program, Inc. is a nonprofit organisation run 100% by volunteers and donations. CWP is designed that way to let the public share in the joy of giving and the opportunity to help build a brighter future for local children.
Plan Community of Children: Give a gift to the people of Africa this Christmas and help reduce the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS.
Christmas Spirit Foundation: Help needy children and families in the United States during the holiday season, and promote environmental stewardship throughout the year.
Webjam welcome your views on any of the topics in the Charity Channel blog; feel free to get involved and tell us what you think in the comments.
Flickr image from Y0$HlMl's photostream.
This article is written by Matthew Tucker and is part of the Webjam Charity Channel
