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"An extra Christmas gift (please read)"

How many of you buy or know someone who buys an extra Christmas present for charities collecting at Christmas? I was sitting watching a charity at a collection point today and they got maybe 7 or 8 gifts donated in about 45 minutes, that's nothing when you consider maybe 150 people passed them by coming in and out of the shopping centre.

I bought a couple of little things like teddy bears and selection boxes, none of which cost very much and it wasn't as if they had to be gift-wrapped or anything. I know a lot of people are cynical these days of giving money to charities, but i just can't understand why most people won't fork out a couple of quid to buy an extra little present to donate when they are spending hundreds on their own families and friends who will probably appreciate the gift far less.

So please guys and gals, when you're out doing your Christmas shopping and if you see a collection point for gift donating, just buy something, anything at all and donate it. It will mean virtually nothing out of your own pocket, but could mean the world to someone else.

The Salvation Army are those that oppose alcohol?

I know that the message you are trying to put across has the right morals and meanings, it is just the way you say "Anything at all", I hardly think they would appreciate a pack of colouring pencils anymore than you or I.

I don't want to sound cynical, it is just that "a selection" box hardly cuts it for someone who is REALLY in need, I would rather donate money to respectable charities that will really make a difference, by providing homes and food, such as the salvation army.

When you give to charities that help cloth and feed those poorer than ourselves, you are doing them a favour, they may want selection boxes, but surely it would be nothing in comparison to a stout christmas dinner?

It is nice to see you donating things to charity, only this is maybe just not the best way of doing so.

I'm going to buy something, I'm thinking along the lines of novelty pencil sharpener or a cuddly toy.

Do you send crayons too, otherwise it is fully harsh.

KR wrote:
> I will buy an extra thing this year.

Good on you KR!

I might sound bitter and cold, but i'm reluctant to give any of my money away to "street collecting" charity's. I'd rather invest it into something more widespread and an honest charity.

I feel intimidated when walking in town only to be pestered for money from these so called colllectors. I read in my local newspaper the otherday, one of these street charity's for cancer patients made over £7 million pounds.

£700,000 of that went to the cancer patients, the rest greedily was kept by the boss for "personal expenses".

I think the whole "shoe box" appeal is a great idea and my family do it every year. We shove a few old and new toy's in there, with chocolate and coloring books (usual nice things) and that gets shipped off and given to a child in another country.

Still, yes, I think people should spare a thought for others this christmas.

I visited a leper colony once. True story.

I will buy an extra thing this year.

I gave money to a tramp once but he was on heroin and he bit me.

Anyway, If SR do that "donate a GAD to charity" thing, after getting an xmas pressie for a mate, I will donate one to them.

I dont really have a lot of cash since losing my job but if I ever came into a lot of money (not in a filthy sense of the word) I would donate a decent amount to a charity. Not an animal one though, people come before animals (again, not in a dirty way) so I'd probably donate to a childrens hospital or a leper colony or something.

Well. It may be nice to give and that is what you do at Christmas but...

(can't work out how to finish this)