This year for Christmas I'm trying to get past the traditional consumerism of our culture by doing something a bit unconventional. Instead of doing the traditional splurge on buying gifts, there will be a new spin on it: we're going to purchase gifts to give to one another in the form of unique donations and fair trade items to benefit the poor, hungry and recently freed slaves in the world. So instead of giving someone your old stuffed goat, you can actually ''give'' a loved one or friend a real goat that will feed and economically sustain an impoverished family in the third world! Or, you can give a necklace or handbag made by a woman rescued out of a brothel.

Some suggestions:
-Join the group ''Unconventional Christmas Shoppers'' on Facebook and pick a website/cause/item from the list that you feel drawn to.
-Go to the Holy Grounds Cafe in Allendale, NJ and ask about their ''Slavery Still Exists'' t-shirts
-Check out the items that the really cool organization called Ten Thousand Villages (run by the Mennonite Central Committee) sells.
-If you're interested in jewelry or handicrafts made by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, email me (Janelle) about buying some jewelry/embroidery/cards I have from a few different organizations in Thailand. My e-mail is jemilazzo AT gmail DOT com
-Keep in mind that if you're ordering items from the third world in time for a Christmas party, depending on the website (smaller operations), you might have to rush the order to get it on time. (Usually the websites say how long it takes to ship things.)

Shopping Guide Quick Reference:

World Vision
Made By Survivors
Heifer
Kiva
Fair Trade Sports
International Justice Mission
Pura Vida
Ten Thousand Villages
Maadi Church of St. John the Baptist
Restore NYC

Happy Giving!