Heart on Fire from the album “How Great Are His Signs” featuring the Portsmouth Gospel Choir recorded and produced by Joffy Girling

My wife Caroline and I were discussing what to do about Christmas presents this year – in particular how to broach the subject with some family members of how the money we all spend could be put to much better use -by giving it to those people that really need it.  We decided the time had come to end buying a family member a bottle of wine or pair of socks and getting something of similar value in return.

We knew this was the right thing to do but was not sure how to approach the subject as we felt some might not agree with our sentiments.  Now it may have been a coincidence or more likely a “Godinstance” but we just happened to watch a Martin Lewis Money Expert programme on TV in which Martin referred to a plea he had made some years earlier “It’s time to ban unnecessary Christmas presents. ” This is this week’s featured video clip.

So we included the clip in a message we emailed to those  family members who were foremost in our mind and lo and beyond they all agreed to our suggestion! So now instead of unwanted socks and scarves we will be donating the monies saved to “Crisis at Christmas.” https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/reserve-a-place-at-crisis-at-christmas/

So for every £28.18 donated a homeless person  receives:

• A warm welcome and good company
• Three nutritious, hot meals daily, including a delicious Christmas dinner
• A bed for the night, if needed
• A chance to shower, freshen up and get clean clothes
• A health check and treatment from a doctor, optician and dentist
• Expert help with mental health and addiction problems
• Advice on housing, employment and benefits
• A way out of homelessness for good through Crisis’ year-round training, education and support.

Of course “Crisis at Christmas” is not the only charity which needs support- The Salvation Army also has a campaign by which you can donate, for example £19.00 which will provide for a box filled with food and modest gifts for a family in need -https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/donate

One of our family members is donating the saved Christmas present money to the Alzheimer’s Society- the point it that it really is time to change – in addition to the good it does  – donating monies to good causes that otherwise would be spent  on worthless presents – what Martin Lewis calls “tat”-  really is liberating.

Quote of the week

If you want to go fast go alone if you want to go far go together

African proverb