Christmas is coming...

It's about 5 weeks until Christmas! Crazy, I know! I'm a sucker for the season - the time together with family, the food, the music, the smells, and all the memories. I am so excited to be at home for most of the month leading up to Christmas, so that I can actually be involved in the decorating, baking, and all the other fun stuff!

While I love finding the perfect gift for those closest to me, I don't love fighting the crowds at the malls. Also, as I've gotten older and expanded my view of the world, Christmas has become less and less about myself, and more and more about all the beautiful faces around the world that I have come to know and love (and those I don't know, but still love!). At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and what better way to celebrate his birth than to give of ourselves to others. I firmly believe that we have been blessed so that we can be a blessing to others. So, instead of searching for the perfect gift, and fighting all the crowds, why not decide to do Christmas a bit different this year? Choose to spend the money that would have been spent on gifts, and donate it instead to a worthwhile cause in someone's name. You'll still have the joy of giving a gift, but you'll also have the joy of knowing that you've done something to make someone's life a little bit better. I've included a list below of a few of the sites that I've come across recently.

Zambia Mission Fund - Canada - An organization that is near and dear to my heart. They run some great programs, including a student sponsorship program, HIV/AIDS patient sponsorship program, running community schools, orphan care and providing seeds and fertilizers to surrounding communities. A donation can be made to any of these areas. As I've seen all of the work of ZMF-C firsthand, I know that all of the money gets put to good use!

Me and my sponsor student, Brivery

African Children's Choir - I've always thought that this organization is fantastic, but even more so after this past year when I got to know and love some of the boys from the choir! Anyone who follows this blog will know that I blogged about them several times! They really are doing amazing work, and the kids are some of the greatest that you will ever meet. One-time donations can be made, or if you are interested you can also sponsor a choir member or a child in one of the African countries that they work in. All of their CDs are fantastic as well - and would also make great gifts! More information on all of this can be found on their website.

Water for Christmas - I wrote about this organization back in September, when they were running their 'Born in September' campaign. And for those of you that missed out because you weren't born in September, you can now be a part of their 'Water for Christmas' campaign.

World Vision - World Vision is one of the best-known organizations around. They have all sorts of neat gifts available in their gift catalogue, such as hens, roosters, goats, a medical clinic full of supplies, Moringa and fruit trees, warm clothes, and mosquito nets - just to name a few!
Christian Blind Mission International - Another gift catalogue full of great gift ideas. Some of the gift ideas here are particularly close to my heart, as they involve giving the gift of sight to someone!
Unicef Canada - Another gift catalogue with gifts specifically targeting kids. They also have cards and gifts available here.
Oxfam Canada - Another gift catologue, with everything from seeds to a donkey to community health training to bicycles!
Samaritan's Purse - This is also the organzation that runs Operation Christmas Child (which has its collection week from November 24-29).
CARE International - While they don't have a specific gift catalogue, donations of any amount can be made. Also, until November 30th, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar by CARE supporters (I'm assuming corporate sponsors).
Compassion Canada - Donations of any amount can be made to any of their funds, which include AIDS initiative, Child Survival, Global Food Crisis, and a Street Kids Fund.
Kiva - This organization allows you to make a loan to a specific entrepreneur in another country. The money assists them in starting their business, and over time, they pay the money back to you, at which point you can loan it to another person!
Heifer International - Yet another gift catalogue, with this one specializing in animal gifts!
Mennonite Central Committee - The organization behind 'Ten Thousand Villages'. They also have a gift catalogue with several ways that you can give to others around the world.

If you'd still like to give an actual gift, here are some unique ideas that are still making a difference to people around the world:
Ten Thousand Villages - Full of all kind of unique, fair trade items. Starting on November 29th, they will also have their 'Living Gifts' available (with options in the past being things such as animals, seed kits and school supplies)
Suubi Africa - A project of 'Light Gives Heat'. They have t-shirts and beautiful necklaces available for sale here. The necklaces have been hand-made by women in Uganda. I just recently ordered one of these necklaces, and it came in the mail today! It is beautiful!

TOMS Shoes - For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, a pair will be given to a child in need! I have a couple pairs of these shoes, and they are super cute and comfortable!