Shop Till You Drop! Black Friday! Deals! 50% off! Cyber Monday! Must! Buy! All! The Things! Okay, so the truth is, I did some on-line shopping, and I did some in-store shopping, because well, the deals were too good to pass on, even here in Canada. And even though some of the shopping wasn't for me, "Giving Tuesday" has a nicer ring to it than "Black Friday" don't you think?
This is the season for giving, after all, and this time of year, nothing makes me happier than giving and teaching my children the importance of giving.
Want to make your gift last more than a season? Here are a few ways I love to give:
Plan Canada: The other day, my children and I sat down and went through the Plan Canada catalogue we received in the mail. My boys decided that one of their gifts this year will be donating clean water for a family. I can't think of anything else more worthwhilie to spend $75 on. Other gifts like "Newborn Check-up" are also available for only $12. This gift helps ensure moms and their new babies receive a visit from a community health worker to ensure the baby is growing and the mother is recovering well. Want to spend $17? Great, you just provided a classroom with the essentials! From maternity beds to malarian nets, there are tons of amazing gift options to choose from, and helping to select the gift you want to give with your children is a great experience, too.
UNICEF: I love mailing holiday cards to everyone I love. It's one way of giving to friends who live far away, and it's a great way to stay in touch with loved ones in a more intimate way than through emails. I love supporting UNICEF Canada by mailing out their holiday cards. This year they've expanded their holiday cards program through a new partnership with Hallmark. You can find a wide variety of UNICEF cards at IKEA, Pier 1, Loblaws, Ten Thousand Villages, and Walmart. I'm especially proud that my mom is once again a featured UNICEF artist this year, too.
Save the Children: Donating to Save the Children is truly a great gift to give; this organization works to help the world's most vulnerable communities by saving "one child at a time." Through our donations, they're able to provide lifesaving care for newborns, feed hungry children, and help educate children. They also respond to major disasters.
terra20: Ottawa's newest eco-friendly department store is a fun place to shop, because it's always guilt-free shopping! Everything in the store is eco-friendly, and some products you can buy that give back in great ways are: Ecojet, Go Clean, S'Well, and WeWood.
I also love supporting and giving to my local children's hospital and giving to the Youville Centre and Toy Mountain here in Ottawa. What about you? What are you doing for Giving Tuesday? What charity do you love supporting this time of year?
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