5 lovely Christmas gifts that will also bring you good karma
Project REM
WORDS BY ALYCE COWELL
Do good.
Look, Christmas is great and all, but if there’s one thing I dread about the festive season, it’s The Smith Family TV ads.
One minute, I’m having the time of my life, eating my weight in prawns and cheating all the bonbons – the next, I’m sobbing uncontrollably at the TV and trying to figure out how I can build a shelter before December 25.
If this is you, too… Great! This means you have a squeaky-clean conscience. Congratulations. Luckily, you can put this to good use at this time of year, simply by showering your loved ones with gifts.
Here are five ways you can do just that.
Project REM
Project REM claims to have hit the sweet spot between PJ’s and daywear, and I’m not going to disagree with them.
If it’s not enough that you (or your giftee) will be able to transition from bed to brunch much easier in 2018, Project REM also works closely with Australian charity, Share the Dignity and natural hygiene brand, Cottons.
Basically, you buy a sleep set, and Project REM will donate a bundle of sanitary products to an Australian homeless or disadvantaged woman.
Then you can settle in for a nice, long slumber that only comes from doing good.
General Pants
Most of us hit up General Pants at least once in December, whether it’s to buy a festival outfit for Falls, or to buy one of those sassy books for your office Secret Santa.
This Christmas though, you’ll also be making a difference. The good elves at General Pants are asking us to stop being naughty and just be nice, by making a $1 donation to support youth homelessness in Australia, when we buy something in-store or online.
Not to be outdone on the nice scale, GP has pledged to donate TWO DOLLARS for every $1 that’s donated during the campaign.
The Smith Family
As if The Smith Family wasn’t doing enough already, they’ve gone and created a range of Joyspreader Charity Gifts, so we can help too (and maybe stop crying at the TV so much).
This one is especially perfect for those annoying giftees that have everything, or those that never use the gift you got them anyway (which you know because you see it gathering dust every time you visit).
All you need to do to get involved is jump on The Smith Family website, and choose from a variety of gifts that will help a disadvantaged child, like giving them the experience of opening their own toys on Christmas morning, or a resource pack so they can learn to read.
My heart hurts just thinking about it.
Once you’ve made your selection, you can add an e-card or printable card to give to your giftee, who will also receive your good karma.
sass and bide
As a long-term partner of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, sass and bide has created what could possibly be the world’s prettiest way to help the disadvantaged.
All proceeds of the festive Make-A-Wish ‘Star Power’ necklace go directly to the charity which you’ll know – if you’re not a monster – grants life-changing wishes for seriously ill kids and teenagers across the country.
Silent Arrow
This Melbourne label has been makin’ waves lately with its line of “lingerie for rad girls”, designed by ’90s b-girl turned multimillion-dollar feminist apparel entrepreneur, Kelly Barrett.
The best part though is that with any purchase from Silent Arrow, it will donate a pair of new knickers to a homeless woman, foster teenage girl or a woman living in a shelter. From one sister to another!
The range is very cool, so you’ll definitely want to buy a couple here.
Heck, make it three, I’ll have something too.
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