Hooray for Alternative Gifts!

I'm so glad you've decided it's a great idea!
... let's get started!

      -Flakey

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featuring Flakey. Simply print and fold!

Donation Gifts

There are a million worthy causes out there to give to all year long. A great website called Charity Navigator helps you find organizations specific to your cause or located close to home.

Not everyone likes giving donations as gifts. “There’s nothing to wrap up and put under the tree!” or “ It’s the easy way out!” are some common reactions. But you can do more than give a boring card saying 'A donation was made in your honor in the amount of $50.'

There are fun and creative solutions to contributing much-needed funds to a worthwhile cause while celebrating this special time or year.  Here are some tips to make giving a donation gift that’s thoughtful and fun:


1. Donate to a cause important to them.
We all have our favorite causes, but with so many deserving organizations out there, donate to a cause that the gift receiver will truly appreciate. Think about the things that are important to them- not you- and find an organization that reflects those values. For instance, if your co-worker is an animal lover, give a donation to a local animal shelter. Or if your uncle served in the Army, consider a contribution to the USO or Purple Heart Foundation.

2. Personalize your donation.
Don’t let the tax-deductible acknowledgement letter serve as the gift. Write a card telling your friend or relative that you made a donation in their name. In addition, tell them why. Letting your parents know that they helped make all your dreams come true is a wonderful preface to a gift for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for instance.

3. Invest a little time.
Small gifts -such as an ornament or loaf of sweet bread- in addition to your donation card- makes for fun gift giving, and leaves behind a little reminder of you! No matter how selfless one might be, everyone loves to unwrap something.

4. Plan ahead.
Plan early on with friends, relatives or co-workers and decide together to give a donation gift this Christmas. Meet for lunch and pick out which charity will be the lucky recipient!

5. Get Together.
Along with your donation cards, invite folks over to a charity party in honor of whatever important cause you choose. Encourage party goers to donate in return as a gift to the host.

6. Photos Add Fun.
Photos of your actual donation items create smiles and add a personal touch to your announcement of the donation gift. For instance, if you’re donating to a needy family in lieu of gifts, include photos of your children modeling the new clothes that a family will soon be receiving. Or cut out pictures from a sales circular of all the fun toys you will be donating to Toys for Tots this year.

7. Don’t Just Sign the Card.
A thoughtful donation goes even further with a personal touch. When signing the card, don’t just write your name. Rather, tell the person how the gift reflects them. For instance, ‘Mom, you always made Christmas time so wonderful growing up, I just wanted to pass on the love to someone else.’ or ‘Having you as a friend is the best gift anyone can ask for...here’s hoping this donation adds joy to someone’s life– as you’ve done for mine.’

OK, so maybe creativity is not your forte. Here are some ideas to help get you thinking in the right direction:

Alumni: Make a donation to your friend or loved one’s college  or high school alma mater. Or if you know someone whose son or daughter is going to that school, that can be a very thoughtful gift idea too. Package up your donation card with anything showing the school’s colors or emblem: a box of candy, a book, a sweatshirt.

Animal Lover: A small bag of pet treats along with a check to a local animal shelter or Humane Society makes a great gift for an animal lover.

Armed Services: Give a donation to Purple Heart or the U.S.O. along with a small gift wrapped in patriotic colors, or something American like apple pie. Don’t forget to include your donation card along with a note of heartfelt thanks for their service and sacrifice.

Cooking Enthusiast: Wrap up a handful of kitchen utensils or a fresh herb plant along with a donation to a local soup kitchen or any number of organizations that feed the hungry.

Environmentalist: Donate to the Sierra Club, Earthjustice, or Defenders of Wildlife. Many of these organizations will already give you a gift or magazine subscription along with your donation, but if you want to include something else- why not a reusable canvas tote bag or a tree sapling ( to replace all those Christmas trees that were chopped down! )
 

Health Foundations: Whether someone survived prostate cancer, or lost someone to ALS, a donation to a help find a cure will surely mean a lot. Give your donation along with a candle which represents the light of hope.

New Born Baby: Celebrate a healthy baby's first Christmas by giving generously to any number of medical programs: St Jude Children's Research Hospital, or Children’s Miracle Network. One of my friends gave personal endorsement to the awesomeness of the Ronald McDonald House program. Why not include some restaurant coupons with your SUPER SIZED donation!

Police or Firefighter: If you have friends or family member in public service, consider a donation to the local Fraternal Order of Police or volunteer fire department. Include some home-baked cookies to share with everyone at the station.

Teacher: A donation to the NEA Foundation, a charitable branch of the National Education Association, is a great gift to someone in the education field. Wrap up your donation with something for the classroom- since most teachers pay out-of-pocket for extras like stickers and room decorations.

Traveler: A gift of fairly-traded coffee or a travel journal along with a donation to any number of international relief organizations such as UNICEF makes a super statement!

 

Fun Ways to Give

Get Shopping! This is a super fun idea to do with your friends- guys and gals alike! Take a trip to your neighborhood toy store than let out your inner child. Look at all the toys that you had as a kid and have fun exploring new toys and games. Whether you’re with 2 friends or 20, pick the friend you are ‘buying’ for, then assign a time limit to pick out a gift for the 9-year-old version of this person. When time is up, meet back at checkout and have a good laugh over all the toys you picked out for each other. Then purchase them and drop them off at a Toys for Tots collection center or another worthy organization that might be collecting new toys. This is also a great project to do with children as long as they understand they do not get to keep the toys!… but it is a great way to preview what they might put on their list to Santa!

Giving Trees. Many organizations sponsor giving trees for needy families, such as the Angel Tree program from the Salvation Army. Giving trees are decorated with ornaments that tell you about the family member, their age, and what they need. Grab a handful of ornaments along with a handful of friends and hit the mall!… don’t forget to include lunch. The end result is a wonderful afternoon with friends and knowing that you have helped a family have a wonderful Christmas.

Host a Party! What’s a better gift than getting together with all your friends and loved ones?… send out invitations and let your guests know that their ‘presence’ will be their ‘present!’ But have a really fun theme that allows folks to chip in cash: a poker tournament, Bunko, Casino night, or even a gingerbread-building tournament. Gather up all the money you’ve earned and donate it to an organization- or drop it in those little red buckets next to the bell-ringers!

Capital Campaigns. Schools, churches even stadiums often have capital campaigns that honor the donors in public ways. Remember the brick campaign to build the Atlanta Olympic Stadium? Somewhere my family's name is permanently etched in that city's landscape. Dedicating everything from a book to a bench or - heck!- an entire hospital wing if you got the cash!- is a touching and ever lasting gift to someone.

Big Tipper. Last year I heard on the radio a story about a family whose holiday tradition was to go to a Waffle House every December and leave the server a $100 bill. I LOVED this idea. Can you imagine the absolute astonishment on that person’s face to get a 400% tip?! OK, so it's not a charity, but chances are this person could use the money and $100 is more money than he or she might make in several days. Spread the holiday magic to a complete stranger and give them a Christmas miracle to talk about for years to come!

 

Gifts of Time

Time is one of our most precious gifts! …and is more meaningful and than anything you could wrap up and put under the tree.

Volunteer your talents.
Keeping your friends and family in mind, think of meaningful ways you can give them your time instead of a gift or donation. If you neighbor has kids in Boy Scouts, for instance, make a commitment to help out with an upcoming activity. Or if you know someone who already volunteers for a charity, tell them you’d like to help out too. You’d be surprised how a gift that seemingly costs nothing is priceless to someone else.

Use the Buddy System.
Go in with a friend and decide that in lieu of gifts this year, you’ll take on a volunteer project together– whether a one-time deal volunteering for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer or a weekly commitment at the soup kitchen– you’ll be serving others while committing to spending time together.

Helping Hands.
Give coupons for anything from shoveling snow to pet sitting, babysitting or hemming a pair pants- whatever your area of expertise is. I’m sure others will appreciate your willingness to share. Perfect for kids and adults alike. Just don’t fall prey to the statistic that 40% of all gift cards go unused. Make sure to follow-up and have your coupons redeemed!

Personal Chef for a Day.
Know someone who never seems to find the time to cook? Or a working mother of 3 that is simply exhausted by the end of her work day? Or due to illness of disability it’s difficult for them to cook meals? Instead of hosting dinner at your place, plan on stopping in one night with a home cooked meal. Get there early and have the smells wafting from the sidewalk- now that's a reason to get home!

Parents Night Out.
Host a movie night at your place and give all of your parent friends a night out alone.
 

Gifts of Writing

You don’t need a Pulitzer Prize to make your writing a gift worthy of giving. Here are some creative ways to give the gift of words.

Recipe Book.
Gather up your family favorites– or ones you know the gift receiver will love. Decorate with pictures, stickers, or ribbon– and be sure to leave blank pages for tasty recipes that might come your way later.

Family History.
Before it’s forgotten, capture the story of your family. Using timelines, old photographs and maps, tell your grandchildren about the relatives that came before them– it’s a gift that becomes even more valuable with age.

“I remember” poem.
Begin every line with “I remember” and fill it with a lifetime of memories– the more vivid the better. ‘I remember our first day of school when we wore the same outfit.... I remember standing in awe at the sight of the Grand Canyon,' and so on. This is a great gift to give to parents, spouses, siblings or lifelong friends. It can be full of hilarious memories or -trust me- it can be a tear jerker! You might want to frame it or put it on a plaque to serve as a daily reminder.

Books on Tape/CD.
Create your own family heirloom by recording some favorite children’s classics. This way you can read to your children or grandchildren even when you can’t be there to tuck them in.

Favorite Quotes.
Fill a box with inspirational quotes or scripture passages that can be pulled out as needed- like a treat in a cookie jar. You might be able to come up with enough for every day of the year!… and feel free to make up a few quotes of your own.

A Box of Compliments. Believe it or not, I really HAVE given this as a gift on more than one occasion! Sounds corny, I know… but hey, I am the gal that just wrote a book about a naked snowman afterall!… Seriously though, there is no better way to start every day than reading something nice someone wrote about you. So don’t be shy to say how you really feel about someone! If you’re really ambitious, you can do a Compliment-a-day. Don’t worry about coming up with 365 unique things… you can double or triple up if you must. Or go in with other friends or co-workers.

Gifts from the Home

Not everyone has the time or talent to knit a sweater or bake dozens of cookies, but here are some fairly simple gifts that anyone can do– all it takes is a little time on your part. Give these gifts along with a donation or on their own.

Photo scrapbook
Dig up photos from the past year or past 20 years and arrange them in a pretty keepsake. The memories alone will last the whole year through.

Wrapping Paper
Who couldn’t use some this time of year?!.. Using rolls of plain colored paper that you can purchase a most craft stores or paper supply places, decorate your one-of-a-kind gift with stamps, stickers, fancy writing and even enlist your children’s help.

Calendar
Decorate a blank calendar with artwork, photos, or jokes. You can print a blank template from many computer programs these days.

Note Cards or Stationary
This always makes a great gift since January is a time to write out your ‘Thank You’ letters. You can buy the blank card sets for very little money– and how you want to decorate them is up to you!

House plant or herbs
You can generate new house plants from cuttings of your existing ones or plant fresh herbs from seeds. It takes some early planning, but with a hand-painted pot, this gift is sure to be hit!

Music CD
For the more computer savvy, compile a CD of your favorite tunes– Christmas or otherwise– and decorate the cover!

 

Supporting a Good Cause

20% of all proceeds from the sales of this book will go to help several worthy organizations helping people in need, both locally and across the globe.

Religious or political affiliations aside, these organizations do some awesome work, plain & simple.

Heifer International, a worldwide charity

Oxfam America, a worldwide charity

Doctors without Borders, a worldwide charity

Children's Defense Fund, a national charity

Catholic Charities, a national charity

MAZON, a national charity

DC Central Kitchen, Washington, DC

Carpenter's Shelter, Alexandria, VA

If you know of a great organization that could use some help, let us know!