Gifts That Give 2014

 

I started this in 2011 when I started my blog. It’s a list for Black Friday of Christmas gifts that give three ways: to the recipient who gets a gift, to a charity who gets a donation and to the giver who feels good for giving to charity. Since then a new tradition has started with Giving Tuesday. After Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, spend some time Tuesday giving to the charity of your choice.

Now, here goes: the list of $50 and under gifts that give three ways for 2014.

1.       As a Relay for Life lover, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one from the American Cancer Society’s website and almost everybody needs help with this—eating right to be healthy and prevent all kinds of cancer and other diseases. So, here’s the link to ACS’s healthy eating cookbook for $24.95. http://acs.bookstore.ipgbook.com/the-american-cancer-society-s-healthy-eating-cookbook-products-9780944235577.php?page_id=32&pid=acn

2.      This is a new to me charity—Women’s Bean Project. It gives jobs to jobless women making gourmet foods. Started with $500 of beans, it’s grown to include all kinds of food, like salsa, rubs, soup and baking mixes. The Tea for Two gift basket has two handpainted ceramic mugs, The Denver Tea Room Cream Scone Mix, Ceylon Pearl Chai Black Tea and a 4 oz. Jar of Seedless Raspberry Preserves for $39.00. http://www.womensbeanproject.com/bask19.html

3.      Hope the Butterfly Tutu from Everything Happy. How can you go wrong with a tutu for a little girl. True, I was a tomboy, but maybe if someone had given me one of these, I wouldn’t have been! For every Happy product purchased, another one is given to a child in need, so feel happy and buy blankets, toys, clothes and more through Everything Happy. http://www.everythinghappy.com/hope-the-butterfly-tutu/

4.      For a bevy of t-shirts, check out You and Who. They sell one-of-a-kind designer t-shirts that help worthy causes in cities across the country. Every time they sell a shirt, they give the same shirt to someone in need. Right now, their t-shirts are on sale for $15 apiece, too! All of the shirts also have a heart, yeah, a real looking one, on its sleeve, too. http://www.youandwho.com/shirts

5.      I have featured Sevenly t-shirts in this list before, because I love them (though they do run a little small just to let you know). Sevenly gives $7 to a different charity each week when you buy a shirt designed for that charity. They are really cool shirts. Now Sevenly has a new product—prints! For $24 get a print with things like this great saying on them: Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.  http://www.sevenly.org/collections/prints

6.      Quilted tote purse from American Red Cross. For just $24 bucks get a handy tote and support this lifesaving, support-giving, disaster-prepping organization. http://www.redcrossstore.org/item/RC00000266

7.      This one squeaked in because $48 is just under the $50 limit I place on all gifts, to keep them affordable for most people. But the scents from GIVESCENT sound fabulous and I love the story. A yoga teacher found a Sicilian almond oil she paired with summery citrus, and GIVESCENT was born. By purchasing a bottle of GIVESCENT (and there are 2 other scents as well), you are helping to support women through Every Mother Counts and Women International. http://givescent.com/

8.     Hand in Hand Soap is pricey at $18 for two bars, but for every bar purchased, Hand in Hand donates one bar of soap and one month of clean water. Also, 50 square feet of rainforest is saved for every bar of soap, bath salt, or candle sold. The soap is also Fair Trade Certified. The scents sound wonderful, too, from lavendar to orange blossom. http://handinhandsoap.com/shop.html

9.      This Alzheimer’s Awareness bracelet for $14.95 funds 50 cups of food at the Hunger Site. With a grandmother who was stricken by Alzheimer’s and 5 million more Alzheimer’s patients in America, this is a cause that gives a fourth way, in building awareness.  https://thehungersite.greatergood.com/store/ths/item/54875/alzheimers-awareness-cable-bracelet?source=4-252-22

10.  Last but not least, the new year is coming, so start planning for it! Get an $18 moleskin planner from Red and 5 percent of the price will go to the Global Fund to fight AIDS. http://www.red.org/en/shop/moleskine-productred-special-edition-planner

That reminds me, if you have a favorite charity, don’t forget to check out their website for products also. Many stores feature products for charities at this time of year and also many charities have started selling their own products. So, God bless and enjoy the holidays!