The spirit of giving is alive and well in Canada this holiday season, if our donations to food banks and recovering stolen goods from the Salvation Army are anything to go by.
So it only makes sense when considering what to give to the givers in your life that you take a look at the many offerings from charitable organizations across the country.
Every charity will welcome an influx of cash, and one great way to allow for your recipients to really feel like they have a hand in helping is to give them their choice of where the money goes. CanadaHelps.org is one organization that "sells" charity gift cards, which your loved one can put toward any registered Canadian charity. Otherwise, if you know where people's passions lie, giving to their favourite charity is always appreciated.
But if you're looking for something a bit more tangible — say, a gift to wrap and put under the tree — these options will not only give to your loved ones, but also to some deserving charities as well.
Check out our picks for great charity gifts to give:
Best Charity Gifts
Suds
The product: Help Some-Body Soap by Consonant
The donation to charity: 100 per cent of proceeds to the Canadian Breast Cancer Support Fund
The price: $12
Wearable
The product: Bluenotes True Colors Tee
The donation to charity: All proceeds going to Kids Help Phone to assist with the fight against bullying
The price: $10
Snackable
The product: Cookie tin filled with cranberry cookies (that turns into a piggy bank when the food is done); available at National Bank until December 31
The donation to charity: All proceeds go to Breakfast Clubs of Canada
The price: $5
Winnable
The product: Heart & Stroke Calendar Lottery (only available in Ontario)
The donation to charity: All proceeds go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation
The price: $25 (with other packages available for multiple orders)
Savable
The product: Hosting For Hope Piggy Bank (via HomeSense)
The donation to charity: Net proceeds go to support shelters and violence prevention programs in local communities to help women and children rebuild their lives after abuse, via the Canadian Women's Foundation
The price: $14.99
Snuggle Up
The product: Ikea's Soft Toys For Education
The donation to charity: $1 from each toy sold to fund education projects through UNICEF and Save The Children
The price: Ranges from $0.99 to $17.99
Footwear
The product: Toms shoes (shown in Red Dot Classics)
The donation to charity: For every pair of shoes purchased, Toms donates a pair to a child in need. The company has also launched Toms Eyewear: For every pair of glasses purchased, Toms buys prescription glasses, donates to eye surgery or helps with medical treatment
The price: From $55 to $70
Book Worm
The product: Gift card insert from Indigo
The donation to charity: 10 per cent of proceeds to Indigo Love of Reading Foundation
The price: $1
Warm Footed
The product: Manitobah Mukluks (Harvester Grain Moccasin style shown here)
The donation to charity: In addition to a profit-sharing agreement with its artisans, Manitobah Mukluks also donates proceeds from every sale to The Centre For Aboriginal Human Resources Development or The Storyboot Project
The price: From $45 to $1,199
Mixing It Up
The product: KitchenAid® Architect Series Raspberry Ice Stand Mixer
The donation to charity: $75 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
The price: $549.99 (though certain stores might have it on sale this time of year — hint, hint)
Simple Strands
The product: Rafiki Bracelet, available at Second Cup
The donation to charity: 100% of the proceeds go to supply clean water to a person for a year, via Me to We
The price: $10
Covered Up
The product: Embroidered silk scarf, created by women in Thailand
The donation to charity: The scarf is a gift with a donation of $85 or more to World Vision, helping children and families worldwide
The price: $85
Cozy Up
The product: Hosting For Hope Scandinavian Throw (via HomeSense)
The donation to charity: Net proceeds go to support shelters and violence prevention programs in local communities to help women and children rebuild their lives after abuse, via the Canadian Women's Foundation
The price: $39.99
Good Karma
The product: "Divine Path" Good Juju Bracelet
The donation to charity: $5 to the Animal Rescue Foundation
The price: $79
Light The Way
The product: Calm Blue Mood Lamp, Ten Thousand Villages, made in Bangladesh
The donation to charity: Not charity, but instead a focus on fair trade — each item sold at Ten Thousand Villages pays the artisans back fairly on a previously agreed-upon price
The price: $34
Slurpable
The donation to charity: For each bag sold, the company's “Bite4Bite” program donates the equivalent amount in cereal or cash to food banks across North America, up to one million dollars.
The price: Approximately $5