I thought I'd share something that has really livened up our Christmas shopping.
It's Oxfam Unwrapped.
You buy a gift that benefits a community in need of help somewhere in the world, from assisting olive farmers through to buying a duck for a Balinese rice farmer, training a teacher, improving a community's water supply or a number of other things that will make a difference to someone who needs help more than we do.
And then Oxfam sends your friend/family member a card (or e-card) explaining that you've given them something perhaps a little more special than just the usual gift of something that, if they really wanted, they'd buy themselves.
I know you'll all think I'm being soft in the head, but I rather thought that it was all more in keeping with the spirit of the thing.
Absolutely NOTHING soft about that. Oxfam is doing a great job of helping people around the world and I firmly believe that it is our obligation and duty to help such people. Zimbabwe needs attention right now. The AED 400 we spend on a meal at the Shangri La can pay for hundreds of water bottles for people there. I am a regular shopper of Oxfam, as I believe all of us white-collar workers should be. Buy goats, books and grain seeds. These are much better than a Mont Blanc pen or a Boss suit. And yeah, shopping at Oxfam should not be seasonal! It is ridiculously easy for people like us to spare US$ 25 a month on books for an African child.
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Regular shopper on Oxfam
Fantastic! I'm on to it now! This has got to be the very best way to annoy my obnoxious spolit brat nieces! Buy them a goat! Just wish I could be there to see their faces!
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