Learn how to transform lives with Christmas gifts that support good causes and foster a sense of inclusivity. TogetherintheUK shares some ideas on how this Christmas you can choose gifts that uplift and support refugees, migrants, and local volunteering initiatives.
There is no question that Christmas is upon us with Christmas adverts on the television, shops beautifully decorated for the season, Christmas music blasting out all around us, and streets busy with people looking for ideas for Christmas presents. It is very easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas – a time for joy, family, and the spirit of giving. The spirit of giving is not just about exchanging gifts with loved ones but also about extending kindness and generosity to those in need.
Whether you observe the holiday religiously or secularly, the message is universal: compassion and generosity through a simple act of kindness can bring goodwill and inclusion far beyond the holidays.
So, as we plan and shop for Christmas cards and presents, TogetherintheUK is happy to share a few ideas on how you can make a tangible difference in this season of goodwill.
Connecting through Christmas Cards
Sending Christmas cards is a beautiful tradition that brings joy to both the sender and the friend or family receiving the card. For those of us living away from our home country, it is a tangible connection to our family and friends – knowing that a card from us will make us part of our traditional Christmas and is a reminder of our relationship. TogetherintheUK (TGIUK) has designed a beautiful Christmas card which shares the spirit of diversity and cultural heritage. We know that by sending and receiving Christmas cards, we evoke a sense of tradition and nostalgia, and with the TGIUK cards, you are also supporting a sense of community and belonging. Simply click here to buy a pack of six cards for only £10.
You could also gift a copy of the TogetherintheUK anthology of migrant writings, Hear Our Stories, a beautiful and heartfelt collection of poetry and prose sharing the journey of migrants and refugees who travel to the UK looking for a better life. To order a copy for only £12, click here.
Imaginative Gifts That Foster Inclusivity
Recognising and sharing the valuable skills, traditions and heritage that migrants and refugees bring is critical to creating a more inclusive and diverse society. MADE51 offers a beautiful Holiday Collection with handcrafted decorations and gifts for all ages. Each of these unique handmade pieces tells a story and not only provides a livelihood to refugees but ensures that the heritage of their home countries is celebrated and not forgotten. MADE51 is a global initiative brought to life by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to drive economic inclusion and build brighter futures for refugees. To see the Holiday Collection, click here.
A Gift That Keeps on Giving
Giving cooking classes as a Christmas gift is a thoughtful and unique gift that brings pleasure long after the holiday season. To make it more special, why not give cooking classes from Migrateful, allowing you to explore international cuisines and “travel the world” without leaving the kitchen? Migrateful runs online and in-person cookery classes, offering first-hand authentic recipes and cultural stories. Refugees and migrant chefs teach the cooking classes, bringing the flavours of their home to your lives. Why not buy gift vouchers for your friends and family to create memories that will last a lifetime and make a difference in the lives of the Migrateful chefs?
Breaking Bread Together
If you love bread, and who doesn’t, then support this unique charity, Breadwinners.
While making and selling delicious bread, this grassroots charity supports young refugees into work. They deliver three employability programmes in London and Brighton that provide jobs, work experience, training and mentoring at market stalls and through their wholesale service.
Sustainable Gifts
Christmas can often be a time of excess, expensive gifts, wasteful wrapping, and the joy of a gift can be quickly lost, so giving a sustainable gift can be the more thoughtful and environmentally friendly option. One unique and very sustainable gift idea is to give the gift of a tree. Daleel Hagy, a Syrian refugee, set up Trees Against Poverty (TAP) as a not-for-profit social enterprise with a dual purpose: to create a sustainable future for our environment and to support underprivileged people. Through TAP, you can gift someone who loves the environment and their fellow humans a tree and track its growth, safe in the knowledge that the trees have been cultivated for and by disadvantaged groups, refugees, or internally displaced people. To gift a tree, click here. To read more about Daleel’s story, read Plant A Tree: Change a Life on the TGIUK website.
Gift of Time
In the spirit of giving, why not give your time to volunteer with some very needy charities and causes during the Christmas season? Charitable organisations are often overwhelmed during the holidays and could use extra hands—volunteer at a food bank, homeless shelter, or community centre. Even a few hours of your time can make a world of difference.
In a previous blog, What is the Best Gift I Can Give at Christmas? Your Time as a Volunteer, TGIUK listed some charities that would welcome help over Christmas. Why not check them out and see how you can give the best gift of all – time?
So, as you finalise your Christmas shopping, take a moment to think about the impact you could make, not only for the friends and family you are buying for but for so many other lives that you can make a positive impact upon. The presents under the tree will bring smiles, but the gifts of compassion and care can transform lives. Let’s embrace the spirit of giving in its fullest sense this Christmas, creating a season of love, joy, and hope for all.
TogetherintheUK wishes everyone a joyful and peaceful Christmas.
This holiday season, we encourage you to receive and share the invaluable gift of inclusivity.
To read more about the lives and impacts of migrants on UK society, go to TogetherintheUK.
To read previous TGIUK articles on Christmas:
What is the Best Gift I Can Give at Christmas? Your Time as a Volunteer – December 2023
Christmas Across the Cultures – December 2022
The True Spirit of Christmas – December 2021
A very Hungarian Christmas – December 2020
Time for Reflection and wishing everyone well for 2020 – December 2019
Christmas in the UK – December 2016
