How to have an ethical Christmas

From the Tearfund youth website: We believe that there’s a better sort of celebration to have – better than the Consumer’s Christmas, the Shop-a-holic’s Santa-Fest or the Me Me Me Mistletoe Marathon. We reckon that there’s every chance we can all enjoy something different this year: an Ethical Christmas.

They offer ten suggestions:

1. Buy gifts from http://www.livinggifts.co.uk/, Tearfund’s alternative gifts scheme.
2. Make a cheque-book of favours… like cleaning the car, cooking a meal or giving a foot-rub.
3. Buy a Fairtrade Cookery Book.
4. Shop at http://www.tearcraft.org/ for amazing items produced by Tearfund partners, all paid a fair wage for their skill.
5. Check out http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/ - it does what it says on the tab.
6. Get some divine Divine chocolate from your local stockist or online (http://www.divinechocolate.com/ or http://www.tearcraft.org/)
7. Offer a day out on you. There’s a stack load of things to do and exciting places to go all for FREE: museums, art galleries or that pretty impressive thing we call God’s Creation.
8. Buy nothing Christmas. Why not duck out of the system and instead of buying any presents this year give the money you would have spent to Tearfund instead.
9. Check out charity shops for some Christmas gems.
10. Get hold of some eco-pampering gifts for that special someone who loves beautiful things (try The Centre for Alternative Technology).