Holiday Gives – Gifts That Keep On Giving

‘Tis the season for giving and we love to turn giving on its head during the holidays! IT is wonderful to give Gifts That Keep On Giving. Our Reverse Advent Calendar is our favorite way to give during December and the kids love their animal gives this year. If you have not seen our Reverse Advent Calendar this year have a look and see what the boys have started December 1.

So how do you turn holiday gifts on their head? Over the years we have found some great ways to send gifts to friends and family that truly keep on giving and inspire others to give. Others have adopted these holiday giving gifts and we even receive some from our family members! Love this!

Holiday Gifts That Keep On Giving and Inspire Giving In Others

1. Kiva Cards – Kiva’s online microloans are a great way to inspire giving over the holidays. You can purchase Kiva Cards for someone on your list so they can participate in their microloan program. How does it work? When you give a Kiva Card, you give someone the chance to change a life. They choose who to support, and when the loan is repaid, they can relend those same funds again and again to make an even bigger impact!
2. Cookie Mix Jars with a Twist – Have you seen the cookie mix jars in local department stores? These are great little gifts but our twist is this. Make your own cookie mix jars and put a giving suggestion on the jar. We name ours the Fire Department Cookies  or Police Department Cookies, or Teacher Cookies or Work Cookies. The label suggests that you bake up this batch of cookies and give the cookies to the place listed on the jar. Yup, the Fire Department Cookies go to the local Fire Department, the Work Cookies get brought into work. Giving Holiday Gifts Rock! Here is a recipe to make your own Cookie Mix Jars.
3. Packet of Homemade Cards – This a great gift for friends and they will love it. Make a series of home made cards, using recycled paper and if you want recycle materials. Put the cards into a packet and send them as gifts. Add a note that explains gratitude notes and the power of giving handmade cards to friends and family during the year. Encourage one of our most popular gives, send a note of gratitude to a friend or family member. This gift will inspire others to give throughout the year using this powerful give.
4. Wrap Your Presents in Useful Reusable Wrapping Paper – We love this give. Do away with gift wrap and wrap your gifts in useful items. The best idea I have heard this year was wrapping a cookbook in a tea towel! Other ideas are wrapping a gift in a shawl, a scarf, putting your gift in a woolly hat, using newspaper to wrap your gifts, fabric, and yes, cereal boxes. The cereal boxes idea is easier and prettier than you think. Buzzfeed has done a great article on how to use recycled items to make your gifts look pretty this holiday as you give back to the planet! These are so pretty people will and can keep using your wrapping.
5. Ditch the Plastic Straws – We are steel straw supporters and these will make great gifts this season. Order them online and know your gift gives to the planet and helps others get rid of plastic straws.
6. Charitable Donations – You can make a donation to any charity on behalf of any one on your list. The tax receipt can be put in their name which shows you have made the donation as your gift this holiday season. Pick a charity your family member or friend is passionate about and let them know your gift is the donation. Online charitable donations are the norm and you can donate through online donation sites like Canada Helps or Global Giving.

Giving Certificates Kick Start Daily Giving

This is our absolute favorite of all time holiday gift that we give out to a few people each year. We make giving certificates for friends and families. Let me explain. We take our favorite gives and put them on a card. Walk your Dog, take you out for coffee, rake your leaves, open the door for you, bake cookies, give a compliment, walk in the park together and pick up trash, give you a big hug, and the list goes on. We give each friend a batch of five cards and they can ask us to complete the give, or they ask someone else. If they really want they can complete the give themselves. It is up to them. People have loved these giving certificates and end up completing the gives themselves. They love the idea of using one giving certificate each day to inspire their daily giving habit.

Holiday Giving Is Not Just For the Holidays

No matter where you live in the world or which holidays you observe these gift giving ideas can be used any time of the year. They are perfect for gift giving holidays like Christmas but work perfectly for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Mother’s Day or just because.

Share your giving ideas on our Impact Map or join the 365give Challenge in the New Year to start changing the world one give, one day at a time.