btw, I think I found a good gift for my pet-loving friends!

Oh my gosh, some of that stuff is great!

I don't really have any creative giving ideas, but I always give to the American Cancer Society in my grandpa's name as a gift for my grandmother.

I LOVE that Lion/courage onesie.

I think this is an excellent idea for those hard to buy for people we all have on our lists.

My wife and I use "Food for the Poor", they supply farm animals, from chickens to donkeys, also things like sewing machines, water pumps, even houses. There is a price range for every pocket book. This year I am "getting" a water pump from my wife, she is "getting" a sewing machine. various friends and relatives that are hard to buy for get an animal of some sort. Of course my recently married daughter and her hubby get something more practical

Grandpa, I have given to a similar organization called Heifer International. They really opened my eyes to how a seemingly simple gift, like a few rabbits, can help an entire community.

Sy, the St. Jude's commercials always get me, too! I usually wind up just pledging money to them, but these gift ideas are great!

Another thing you can do is "adopt" an orphan. This doesn't mean you actually take them into your home, but it means that they are "your" kid for the holidays. I do this every year through the Boys and Girls aid society, the agency that placed me. Every year in October I receive the name of my child, along with their sizes, hobbies etc. And they get spoiled with presents just like my kids. I also take it a bit further and send clothes and food year round, but that's my personal preference because with this society, I don't know where I'd be.

There are so many older children living in "homes" (They used to be called orphanages, but that's now politically incorrect). The homes do everything they can to brighten these kids days, however I'm sure it must be a bleak existence. If I could get the agency to tell me WHERE the child was, I'd bring them to live with us for a while, but they don't do that for obvious security reasons.

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If you always do as you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.

that should have read "because withOUT this society" LOL

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If you always do as you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.

Mykie, I used to do something similar with the Angel Tree. I loved doing that.

I think it's awesome, and it's one of those gifts you give that keeps giving back. I'm STILL getting letters from kids from 10 years ago, that have gone on to become happy successful adults. I'm probably being silly, but I like to think I had something to do with that.

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If you always do as you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.

Awwww Mykie!

Ah Tiff the Angel Tree! We used to do that when I was kid. I've looked all over for one of those here in the Dallas area but I haven't found anything like it here. I'd love to be able to buy a special kid some gifts like things they NEED and things they WANT.

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Hope is no basis for a defense policy. ~ Margaret Thatcher

Another good one is the Arbor Day Foundation - you can plant trees in someones name. We did that for some friends of ours for their daughter's first birthday. Last year I adopted an American Bald Eagle for my Dad for Christmas he got a certificate and photo it was awesome - that was from another place and I can't recall what it was now. But it reminds me of another idea is your local zoo will often have animals you can adopt or sponsor for a year you can do it for yourelf or in someone elses name.

These are awesome Sy - I love St. Judes - thanks for sharing it with us.

Wow great stuff guys! Lil, I just went and looked at the Heifer site, I might be buying some flocks of chicks this year!

Keep 'em coming.

Thanks for the reminder about the Heifer foundation, I love charities that help people help themselves.

Also, donate your gently used professional clothing to an organization like Dress for Success or your local equivalent.

If you're still in a political frame of mind: The Heritage Foundation, Young America's Foundation, or the NRA. I suspect the NRA will need funds for lobbying and legal defense soon.

YOu might even want to buy a copy of the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute 2009 Calendar
($25 for the first copy, $20 for additional):
"Following in the tradition of past calendars from the Luce Policy Institute, Pretty in Mink celebrates smart, conservative women role models ... with flair.

"We took some of your favorite leaders of today’s conservative movement on a journey back in time, and made them up into glamorous movie stars of classic Hollywood. Back when the big screen was a little more glamorous, women were a little more feminine, the men a little more charming—and the world a little less politically correct."
http://www.cblpi.org/calendar/
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The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. -- Alexis de Tocqueville

I got that calendar for free! I do every year. I feel special now that I know they charge so much for it.

And there are a plethora of political organizations you can give to. You can always give to your local congressman's re-election fund. (Yes, they fundraise all of the time.) You could find out if your congressman has a leadership PAC, as well. Also, in the cases of people still involved in recounts, they are accepting money for legal fees.

Kimbo I'm going to participate by purchasing a Heifer gift this year! It is so awesome how far $20 can go to help people sustain their village economies and make their lives a little happier!

I'm glad so many people are getting stuff from there! It seems so obvious once you read it, but until I read their literature, I had never thought about how much a chicken or a cow could help sustain an entire community.

Kim, you're right, there are always local campaigns which need funding.
I tried to address ideological organizations, rather than specific individuals.
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The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. -- Alexis de Tocqueville

Yeah, I know, I was just putting another option out there. That's why I suggested Leadership PACs, as well. I think a lot of people either forget about them or don't know about them.