Giving is in the spirit of the season, and these gift ideas will help warm the hearts of people far beyond the Christmas tree
Ginerosity
Booze - the ideal gift for pretty much anyone you don’t know what to buy for! Impress your trendy mid-20s relatives with Edinburgh-brewed Ginerosity the world’s first social enterprise gin. All profits are put towards supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who want to take part in the International Citizen Service, an overseas placement where 18 to 25 year olds work to help end poverty in developing countries.
Who’s it for?Your fun-loving niece (assuming she’s over 18!).
Alzheimer Scotland tartan
Have you noticed how cold it is outside? If you think winter woolies are the ideal gift, Alzheimer Scotland has the answer to all your Christmas shopping woes. The newly designed tartan features on scarves, ties, and hats, and all proceeds go to helping people with dementia and their families and carers - with one person every four seconds developing dementia, your gift recipient can bask in the warmth for their neck and heart! If you still have doubts, check out Alzheimer Scotland’s Christmas advert.
Who’s it for?Your granny or your ex-pat auntie Jeanie in Australia.
Scarves start from £25 and are available from the Alzheimer Scotland shop
Power a Life
Ahh! One of the really annoying things about visiting family over Christmas, is when you leave your phone charger at home! Have no fear, there’s a Linlithgow based social enterprise that can help you ensure you are never without power while also ensuring you lighten the life of a poor school pupil in Africa. Power a Life works with a “buy one, give one” business model. It sells bright, fashionable portable chargers that work on phones, tablets, and smart watches, and for every product purchased a child in Africa with no access to electricity receives a solar light. This gives them the opportunity to study at night, improve their grades, and have a better chance of succeeding in life.
Who’s it for?Your smart-phone obsessed nephew (and go on, get one for your self at the same time).
Check out the Power A Life online shop, where chargers range from £25 to £45
The Shetland Soap Co
Who doesn’t love a bit of soap at Christmas time? Fortunately, the Shetland Soap Company has a fresh new Christmas range featuring spiced pear and Nordic rose - ideal for transforming your morning ablutions into a seasonal themed spa! The products are made by social enterprise Cope, which helps provide work placements for adults with disabilities. As part of Cope, Shetland Soap sells soaps, lotions, candles and bath products with all profits going towards the work the social enterprise does. The soaps are inspired by the beautiful environment of Shetland and there is a range of traditionally made soaps using only natural ingredients.
Who’s it for?Your mum and wee sister will love this Nordic Rose gift set, which is just £21.
Visit the Shetland Soap Company shop, products start from as little as £1.95 with free UK postage & packaging over Black Friday weekend (offer ends 11.59pm Sunday 27 November)
Bookdonors CIC
Do you know someone who loves a good psychological thriller? Why not help them enjoy a cosy winter night with a good book by buying them Scotland’s latest literary success, His Bloody Project - the first Scottish author with a Scottish publisher to be shortlisted for the Booker prize. But wait, don’t use the most obvious online retailer, Bookdonors CICsells new and second-hand book with a huge selection that ensures you’ll find something for everyone. Recycling books that would otherwise be thrown away benefits the environment, and they also offer job opportunities for people who are having difficulty finding work and supported employment for people with disabilities.
Who’s it for?There’s definitely something your dad will enjoy in this catalogue including best-sellers, fiction and non-fiction.
Order from Bookdonors online and get His Bloody Project new from just £6.29
Divine chocolate
If the thought of how much chocolate your kids will eat this Christmas fills you with fear, why not try to assuage your guilt by buying social enterprise chocolate. This year Divine chocolate even has an advent calendar! Divine is 44% owned by cocoa farmers, who are fairly paid and empowered through their involvement in the development of the company.
Who’s it for? Chocolate lovers big and small.
Divine’s online shop is selling a Divine Chocolate online advent calendar for just £4.
Brewgooder beer
Craft beer just got even better with the launch of Brewgooder, a partnership between the famous Brewgooder and the social enterpreneur Alan Mahon of Social Bite. What’s more, just this month Brewgooder became the first social enterprise product to be stocked in Asda! Proceeds from sales of the beer go to clean water projects around the world. With 650 million people live without clean water, you know that your pennies are well spent with Brewgooder.
Who’s it for? Your hipster cousin obviously.
Buy online from Amazon or visit Asda for a 12 pack for £20
Silver Stag
Stuck wondering what to get the girlfriend who has everything? Well, why not check out Silver Stag gifts for some inspiration. The online Scottish gift store supports the charity Stand International, a project that began in 2003 helping homeless people in Scotland take up volunteering opportunities in their own communities. Since then it has evolved to support homeless people volunteering abroad in Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, and Ghana. The company sells jewellery and homeware adorned with a special tartan using colours that represent each of these countries.
Who’s it for? Your girlfriend will love this silver stag brooch for just £25.
Visit Silver Stag and check out its range of gifts for men and women, from £12 upwards
Real Gifts from SCIAF
It’s so annoying when one of your relatives says they don’t need or want anything. Well fine, force them to feel good about themselves instead and get them a Real Gift from international aid agency Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (Sciaf). Goats, chickens, bicycles and fishing and agriculture courses all help to improve the life chances of families living in the developing world. Let’s face it, this genuinely is what Christmas is all about?
Who’s it for? Your granny will love that her gift is ensuring a Syrian refugee child in Jordan can go to school - and it only costs £26!
Real Gifts can be bought on the SCIAF website and start at £10 for school books and include £30 for a goat!
One World Shop
Still stuck? If you prefer to browse a real shop rather than buy online, head along to the One World Shop, in Edinburgh. This fair trade shop has recently moved to the city’s Nicolson Square and is open from 10am on Saturday and noon on Sunday. It aims to help reduce poverty in developing countries by ensuring the makers receive a fair price for their goods. It sells everything from socks to jewelry to food and drink from around the word on even has a special section for Christmas gifts, cards and wrapping paper making the seasonal activity so much easier!
Who’s it for? Anyone who you’re still struggling to find a gift for.
Visit in personor online where you guy buy Champagne Truffles for £9
