A Present For The Future

If you've ever seen the queues in stores just after Christmas of people lining up to exchange unwanted presents, you might not be surprised to hear that billions of pounds are apparently wasted every year in the UK alone (and no doubt the equivalent elsewhere) on gifts that just don't please.

Even that can only take account of those that are returned to stores. No-one knows how many badly-fitting gloves and socks, unwearably-colored ties, un-chic purses and hand-knitted sweaters that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy lie hidden in a closet or are quietly disposed of because their reluctant owners didn't want to hurt the givers' feelings.

Well, there's now an answer. If you have a relative or friend who's hard to choose a present for, or someone that you'd like to point discreetly for your own present in a direction that won't either cost them lots of money, or embarrass you, you might like to try a different kind of gift this year – one that has a whole lot more to do with what the Christmas season really stands for.

WorldVision is just one of the organizations that would like you to donate the cost of one small present to a situation of great need.

(If you'd like to donate the cost of a larger gift, please don't be put off doing so – the point is that even what's regarded in many countries as a small amount can do a vast amount of good in others, so no-one need feel they can't help because right now they haven't got a lot to give. Even a very small amount will be really, really welcome.)

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Last year someone gave me a year's supply of classroom materials – or, rather, a picture of them. The actual pens, pencils, paper and schoolbooks went to the children of a village in Africa.

In turn, I bought someone some saplings, which are meant to help another village with a soil erosion problem and also give them fruit that they can sell, and at Easter I received the picture of a goat – the real animal is busily providing milk for a family to sell, so that they have the money to let one of their children go to school.

The gifts are not expensive – they cost no more than a conventional present (many cost much less), and without the hassle.

After all, if your present is a brood of day-old chicks to start a poultry flock that will feed, clothe, house and educate a family and lift them out of poverty, you don't need stand in line to get it – and no-one can complain that they're the wrong size, pattern, shape or color, can they?

You can check out gifts from WorldVision right here.