To answer the question my boyfriend has been asking me for a few weeks now…
What do you want for Christmas?

Answer: nothing… really…

I honestly can not think of anything that I NEED or even want. Even the items that are out of reach, I do not expect him to get it for me just because it’s “Christmas”. I find myself throwing away more things than I can buy, plus I’m a very difficult person to shop for. At this point I can truly say, I don’t need anything or want anything in particular. well… I want a job, but that will have to be another post.

This year, I’m going to ask for donations. If anyone reads this post and would like to give me a Christmas gift, please donate to one the following organizations or a charity/organization of your choice, that would be the best Christmas Gift for me this year. Your donation of food, clothing or money to charity would be more useful and meaningful than a present to me.

I’ll try in the next month to contribute something to each of the below organizations. I hope the spirit of giving is contagious, so please reach out where you can. When you can’t think of something to give that special someone this holiday, make a donation on their behalf. Gifts can come big or small, so can donations.

Just make sure no one asks for a hippopotamus this Christmas

Some suggestions, but there are many more out there:

Vancouver Food Bank

I love food…I am so lucky to enjoy Family dinners and gatherings every Christmas Holiday. Food some how brings everyone together, it’s the start of a chain reaction of socializing, bonding and unity with the people around you. I can’t imagine what it’s like when one of the most basic need is out of reach. The Vancouver Food Bank’s mission is “To provide food and related assistance to those in need.” Let’s help them out by donating some of their most needed items.

Most needed items:

• Canned meat/fish
• Peanut butter
• Bags of whole wheat pasta/rice
• Pasta sauce
• Canned fruit/vegetables
• Cereal
• Baby formula
• Baby food

Please visit Vancouver Food Bank’s website for drop off locations, or look for drop off bins in your local grocery store. They are always looking for helpful volunteers too.

WISH Drop in Centre Society

“Every night can be her last…no woman should be left out on the streets” Those are the first two phrases that stuck in my head when I first found out about the WISH Drop in Centre. To find out more about WISH please visit their website. This is a great place to donate new and lightly used make up and other female related items.

On their WISH List, they are always looking for

• Undergarments, socks, tights and pantyhose
• Makeup and toiletries (new and partially used)
• Toothbrushes, toothpaste and mouthwash
• Season-appropriate clothing
• Coats, hats and gloves
• Shoes and boots
• Umbrellas and rain ponchos
• Bedding and towels

They also WISH for:

• Arts and crafts supplies
• First Aid supplies
• Bus tickets for participants
• Long distance cards for women to call home

I usually donate my collected hotel amenities on my travel or toiletry samples I get from the mail for WISH. I’ve also donated slightly used blankets and sleeping bags to them before too.

My Sister’s Closet

Nice, clean and resell-able clothing/accessories can be donated to My Sister’s Closet, a Social Enterprise of Battered Women’s Support Service. You can read more about their Retail Program and new Yaletown location relaunch that happened on October 14th. You can support them by shopping there, donating quality products or volunteering at their retail space. There’s some great finds in both locations, perhaps you can find a Christmas gift for someone at My Sister’s Closet.

Covenant House Vancouver

If I was a kid, I wouldn’t want to be out in the cold this holiday season. Covenant House Vancouver is doing a special Christmas Donation – Christmas Backpacks. There’s going to be about 300 homeless youth receiving these backpacks on December 20th. Please visit Covenant House for their New Items list and Regular Donation List, please make a donation and drop off before December 15th to allow time to sort items into back packs.

BC SPCA

You can’t forget about our furry friends! (at least my friend,Yoshi, is furry) I usually participate in the BC SPCA Paws for a Cause walk for the animals usually in the month of September (around or on my birthday), but like all non profit organizations they need funding and materials throughout the year. Find your closest SPCA branch for Gifts in Kind or visit their website for online donations.

TOMS Shoes

For the shoe lovers out there! If you must purchase a tangible gift for someone this holiday, try giving them a pair of TOMS Shoes. With every pair of shoes purchases, TOMS gives away a new pair of shoes to a child in need. You can read all about their One For One Movement on their website, while you purchase one for a friend! It’s like 2 gifts in 1 – the giving just keeps giving! I have the Classic Red Canvas pair and I LOVE it, so simple and so comfortable… currently eye-ing the Glitters in Black size 7…*hint, hint

This is WAY too cool for school!

I was surfing around and found this Vintage Alphabet dinning series by ORE Original featured on Swiss-Miss’s site.

I love the design and educational aspect of this set. It’s clear, easy to read for the kids and esthetically pleasing on the dining room table. I would personally use the lunch bag to carry my own lunch to the office! (at the moment, my office is the kitchen dining table…) As for the quality, I haven’t physically seen one and touched one, but the site said they are BPA free.

It seems like all my girlfriends around me have kids or having kids so I thought, this would make a great children gift. I’d be the coolest Aunt ever! and reasonably priced.