For my parents ( who do not need a THING ) we always "buy" a goat, chickens, etc from Heifer International , an organization that helps impoverished communities become selfsufficient through livestock, farming education, etc...We also give my chilldren's teachers gifts of donations to Water Aid which helps provide clean water and sanitation. My family is aware of how very lucky we are to take these things for granted and it makes us feel good not to be involved in the consumer frenzy of the season. Our town has also started an "Alternatative Gift Fair" where local and global non-profits set up booths with information and displays and you can "buy" gifts like donation to free dental clinic, food pantry, etc and get a nice card to give to someone as their gift that year. I love it

Our budget is too tight to give much too.

I organize a moms group and I will be helping to head up a toy drive and a can food drive

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006 &

Organizer of the Coupon Clippers of Tacoma

There is a wish tree that I pick several kids names off of every Christmas and purchase the one present they want. It is pretty sad really. They ask for so little. A lego set or art supplies, etc. I try to pick some teens or older kids because I figure everybody wants the "cuter" age ones, kwim? It humbles me when a 14 year old only wants a calculator or a hat or something. I enjoy this more than anything else I do during the Christmas season. I get such a wonderful feeling trying to pick nice things for them. I recommend this to anyone who hasn't tried it yet - you'll love the feeling. My thought is that kids didn't choose their situation. To me Christmas is more for the kids anyways (I don't expect everyone to agree, but that's how I feel).

We are a 10% tithing family. During the holidays we help out in any extra way that we can and we usually sponsor a family.

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Blessings, Susan

through out the year we donate our old not used clothing to charity + every sept. we participate in the arthritis walk.

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We give to our church throughout the year, but around Christmas time, they'll usually participate in a charitable drive (one year, it was Samaritan's purse). We usually participate in that and give to the Salvation Army when we can.

We used to adopt a family for the holiday's through the salvation army when we had more money. Now that we are in debt up to our eye balls we have not been able to do that the last few years. I do make a point to put money in the red buckets every time I go into a store with one. Even if it is only $.50.

I'm really into volunteering and charity, so we give all throughout the year, Holidays also but not any more than any other month. For this year we have adopted a family of a deployed soldier.We are also having a Christmas craft party at a retirement home-we did that for halloween also and it was great fun.

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A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.-Eleanor Roosevelt

For us, we contribute to the Canadian Cancer and Lymphoma Society every year (in honor of my mom and my aunt), so that in a sense is contributing to a bigger cause in hopes of one day having one of our own benefit from it. We can do that any time of the year.

However, around Christmas time, we want to focus on energies on two charitable causes that we are both directly connected to 1) the troops overseas and 2) church outreach programs. That is just where our hearts lead us and we do budget it for that.