Normally about this time of year I release a Christmas list for my family. In my typical over achieving style, this is usually a list with pictures, links, model numbers, and often stores with the best price and dates to find things on sale. Since I’ve determined that my family is probably about 90% of people who read this blog, I figured I’d post my list here. That way it’d be in an easy place for all of my family to find…
In recent years while having the “so what’d you get for Christmas?” conversation with friends, I’ve heard a couple of them mention that they gave their Christmas away. Usually this means that they took all the money they were going to spend on each other or have spent on them, and they used it to provide Christmas for an underprivileged family, either local or abroad.
I usually leave these conversations feeling a bit awkward. Obviously I know that what this friend did by giving their Christmas away is awesome…but…how could I do that? How could I give away the money/iPod/digital camera that I just got for Christmas?
But this year, I’ve decided to go for it. I’m SO blessed, and I want to take this Christmas as an opportunity to live out some of the stuff Jesus talked about…and be a little less like a discontent materialistic American.
So here’s what I’ve decided. There are programs online where you can donate money to buy animals for families in impoverished countries. I think this is really neat.
You can see the whole catalog here
And here are a few of my favorites:
A Goat - $70
A Brood of Chicks - $25
There are lots of other options. Here are some other favorites:
Vocational Training - $120
Give an Orphan a Month of Loving Care - $35
When you check out, they’ll send you an “Honor Card” that even gives you something to wrap up and give the day of Christmas, letting the me (or whoever else you decide to give for) know about the gift!
DISCLAIMER: I did some checking around before jumping into this. I learned that just because you click “Buy a Goat” and check out, that doesn’t mean that someone, somewhere will necessarily get a goat…and I’m okay with that. I’ve worked for a ministry and I know that there are marketing and administrative costs involved in anything like this.
So why Samaritan’s Purse? After all, Heifer.org, Oxfam, and World Vision are doing the same thing. First, because they’re a Christian Organization (I know that World Vision is too). I like that Samaritan’s Purse comes right out and says that their mission is to “meet needs of people…with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.” That is what it’s all about here, folks.
Also, when I checked into their stats, I noticed that Heifer only spends 75%, Oxfam only spends 80%, and World Vision spends 87% on the actual projects, respectively. The rest goes to marketing and administration. Samaritan’s Purse puts 89% towards ministry. I like that. If up to 14 extra cents of every dollar are going directly to the cause, then that’s good enough for me.
Lyndsay has given me a couple of eyerolls over this idea, but I’m totally serious about this. If you’ve already gotten me something for Christmas, I appreciate the thought but please–return it if you can. Or give me a gift receipt with it.
I’m really excited about this Christmas. I hope you are too. Merry Christmas!
