Article - Tis' for the Spirit

Christmas can be a tough time for families and people in many ways, as well as the impact of waste into landfill and excessive consumerism. Instead of another sh*t gift, consider giving for the eco not the ego, its a much better way to celebrate the spirit.

Here are 5 ways to give a sh*t, not a sh*t gift:

Donations as a gift to a favourite cause or charity so they can keep giving back to what matters mostall year round.

Ways to give:

• Indigenous Literacy Foundation
  Indigenous Literacy Foundation's cards feature artworks from budding illustrators from Vincentia and Fitzroy Crossing Communities. When you purchase a card, you’re gifting a donation that contributes to givingculturally relevant books to children living in remote Australia.
  > Give the gift of reading here for as little as $20
• Send a Card with a Donation
  For anyone that can show a receipt of $20 or more donation to any charity, we will send an archive Christmas card with the donation & message to a nominated recipient. Email contact@causeaffect.com.au

Give back to the MVPsof our communities,connect withyour local orgs to see how you can help!

Ways to give:

• Mt Isa Elder's Christmas Lunch
  We are organising our community’s Christmasand seeking donations for gift cards as giftsfor elders, email contact@causeaffect.com.au
• Local Indigenous Health and Social Services
  Connect to your local Indigenous health or social organisations to see how you can donate gifts or gift cards to the local elders. In Brisbane, we know Kambu (Ipswich) are taking gift cards for their elders.

Make sure all ourkids get gifts this Christmas by donating to the many toy drives run over the nation! There are so many great local toy drives run by shopping centres, daycares, schools, hospitals, youth orgs and children charities. Here are some suggestions for Brisbane mob:

Ways to give:

• Meanjin (Brisbane) Mob Toy Drive
  Local Meanjin mob run their Annual Christmas Toy Drive working alongside communities, day cares centres, parents and families who are spreading love and care with our precious children. You can contribute by posting or dropping off gifts,gift cards via email or Pay It Forward via Shopify.
  > Check out their link for more info
• Children’s Hospital Foundation
  Qld Children’s Hospital Foundation are bringing joy to children in hospital with a special gifts for Christmas, birthdays, good and bad days all year round.
  > Check out their page the Amazon gift list or handmade gift optionswhich you can drop or deliver direct to the hospital

Help out families in need this Christmasthrough hamper andessential appeals. All families deservea Christmas, and there are lots of local communities running hamper appeals to get involved:

Ways to give:

• Micah Projects Hamper Appeal
  The last Christmas I had with my mum was packing hampers! An iconic Brisbane tradition is Micah’s annual ChristmasHamper appeal! If you'd like to donate grocery items directly, their office will be accepting donated goods from 25th November - 16th December 2024. And then join in the funpacking and delivering to nominated Brisbane families.
  > Check out their link for more info
• It’s in the Bag
  Every year, Share the Dignity partners with Bunnings on the‘It’s in the Bag’ campaign. Bags of essential items are given to women domestic violence refuge. You can pack an adult, teen or mum & bub bag to help someone in need for Christmas.
  > Sponsor or fill up and donate a bag here

Big celebrationscan equal big waste 30% higher than the rest of the year.Here are ways to be consciousfor our Countrythis Christmas...

Ways to be Christmas conscious:

• 🎁 WRAPPING WASTE!
  To wrap Christmas gifts, Australians use more than 150,000 km of wrapping paper during the festive season. That’s nearly enough paper to wrap around Earth’s equator four times! (Source: CSIRO)
  
  Instead try: fabric to wrap gifts instead, reuse old wrapping paper, reuse gift bags, scraps of paper, scrap daycare/school artwork (we know how much they bring home!), or just put unwrapped presents in a Santa sack!
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• 💩 SH*T GIFTS
  Most of us love buying gifts, but 275,000 tonnes or $921 million worth are set to go to waste, and most likely land fill, wasting money,and adding to plastic pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and the climate crisis. (Source: The Australia Institute)
  
  Instead try: (our giving list) donations, gift cards, giving back to people in need, gifting experiences, homemade presents, local handcrafted gifts, or just give one really bloody good gift *mic drop*
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• 🎄 OBSESSIONS WITH PINES?
  There is no Australian data of the # of artificial Christmas trees purchased each year. However, 10 million trees are purchased United States, with nearly 90% shipped from China, increasing carbonemissions and resources. (Source: @commonsearth)
  
  Instead try: buying real trees that are farming them the right way, or just purchase one really deadly plastic tree to lasts you a lifetime!
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• 🌟 DECORARION DISASTER
  Thinking previous on the stats on giftwaste, think of all the waste from thoseplastic, cheap Christmas decorations!
  
  Instead try: my family tradition is to only buy one really special decoration every year, my mums collection has been handed down to me - everything from hand beaded baubles to one-off wonders!
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• 🍗 FOOD COMA, BUT BAD
  Gluttony seems to go hand in hand withChristmas lunch, but it's estimated nearly 7.6 million tonnes of food across the food supply chain ends up aswaste every year. (Source: CSIRO)
  
  Instead try: Meal planning, only buying enough food for those you need to feed, planning leftovers for the next day.

And remember, the spirit of Christmas is for the eco not the ego, so give back in ways that are better for the spirit.