10 fabulous gifts that will never be rubbish......

You know how it goes. Come the 26th December you have a little pile of things you can't really use, and short of braving the dangers of 'regifting' or giving them to a charity shop, where they just may be spotted by the person who gave them to you..... well, you will probably have them cluttering up your space for a few years at least.

I have a horror of giving gifts in case they end up as unwanted clutter. Let's be honest - most of us already have way, way, waaaaay too much stuff!

Eventually, any physical gift is likely to end up as rubbish.

This is why I am a huge fan of giving non-material gifts, and here are my top 10 recommendations.

1) Monkeyworld do an adoption pack which allows people to visit the park for free for a year, you also get an adoption certificate and photo of your primate and a regular newsletter. Bik and I give each other this each birthday and it gives us a year of visits to our favourite place, plus a connection when we are not there! Monkeyworld is NOT a zoo, but a rescue organisation originally started for beach chimps in Spain, now rescuing primates from labs, homes where they are kept as pets, and countless other unhappy fates.

2) The Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth is holding an appeal for gifts for their donkeys. This sanctuary not only provides a home for donkeys in need, but works around the world in education and donkey welfare. A worthy cause indeed and a great place to visit if you are ever in the area!

3) Dancing with Faeries kit from the lovely Lori-Lyn Hurley. An online kit of four eBooks and a meditation, covering An Introduction to Faeries, Living with Faeries, Creating with Faeries, Healing with Faeries and a Meet Your Faerie Guide meditation. Packed with ideas and gorgeous images, I was given this kit to review months ago and am still busy trying things out (I'll review it in full, with pics of my projects, when I'm done - watch this space!).

4) A KIVA loan. Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. You can give an amount of money to a friend or relative, which they can then choose to loan to a small entrepreneur in a developing country. Not only is this a fun way to support others, but the loans are repaid - a £25 gift to me four years ago has now been loaned to five different people!

 




5) Leonie Dawson's Creative Goddess eCourse is a perfect gift that will, I promise, transform the life and happiness of the person you give it to. She also offers her 2013 'Creating your Goddess Year' downloadable planner, both a life and a business edition (I already have BOTH!).

6) Whilst we are on the subject of transformative creative online e-goodness, SARK (Susan Arial Rainbow Kennedy) offers a range of programmes - at a nice range of prices - that are truly splendid. I have already done 'Three Part Harmony' and 'Juicy Journaling part 1' and can recommend them very highly.

7) Missy says "adopt" a parrot! No, she doesn't mean a REAL parrot, unless you've really done your homework and are 100% ready for this huge commitment (parrots are not for the faint of heart, trust me!). If you are thinking of getting a real parrot, first read this and visit Anne Castro's parrot school for lots of advice and an idea of what you'd be getting yourself into.

There are thousands of parrots in sanctuaries and they are very expensive to look after, so consider sponsoring a bird via Island Parrot Sanctuary, Oasis Sanctuary or one of the many others out there.

                                         

8) Protect an ugly fish with Greenpeace. Oh go on, you know you want to! Greenpeace offers a range of imaginative virtual gifts including an Orangutan suit or Stormtrooper helmet for an activist, or even a urine bottle or lock-on tube!

9) Send a gift on a loved one's behalf to Sea Shepherd Cove guardians. These brave and amazing folks are currently protecting dolphins and whales in Taiji, Japan.

10) Sign somebody up for the fabulous Book of Days programme with Effy Wild. I'm hoping to do it in January, so join me!

Now, it would be a bit norty to plug my own eCourses, but if you're liking the idea of buying an online course as a gift, take a looky at my eCourses page and see if they interest you!

I am preparing a gorgeous, creative, you-focussed and non-material gift for everyone on my mailing list, so sign up now!

Don't forget to check out my free goodies to help you with your creative journey.

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