ETHICAL AND UNUSUAL GIFTS FOR XMAS, VALENTINES & OTHER SPECIAL DAYS

Show them that you truly love them by giving them an ethical gift this year.

Christian Aid, Oxfam & World Vision have all launched schemes to send livestock such as goats, donkeys, sheep, camels and other animals to Africa on behalf of loved ones as charity gifts.

You could give them a fruit tree or even a whole mango plantation if you really want to make an impression.

These charity gifts make great presents for all occasions and there are well over a hundred different gift ideas between the three organsiations.

All you need to do is to visit the web site and pick out your gift online. You can send a personal message to your loved one too. Simple!

Easter, Valentines Day and Christmas wouldn't be the same without Chocolate would it? So go ahead and give your someone special chocolate... Visit:-

http://www.chocolatetradingco.com who's award winning website provides the widest selection of premium chocolates from all over the world. The chocolate is produced by 16 of the world's best chocolatiers.

All categories of chocolate are available; gift boxes, single origin gourmet bars and unique novelties such as Chilli Lips and Chocolate Sardines.

One of the varieties of chocolate is 100% 'Malagasy'. Which means that it is a single origin chocolate, made and packaged solely in Madagascar. Others are made solely in Venezuela and other countries. This is a new concept in fair trade.

The fairly traded chocolate they sell has a special classification of “equitably traded”, which means the earnings from sales is shared amongst the co-operative farmers directly. This enables them to protect and develop their business, habitat and land ; keeping them from falling into the poverty trap.

So you see you can be naughty and ethical with it!

Instead of that cutesy cuddly toy why not give a real animal? A scheme has been set up by WWF whereby you can give someone a real animal. It could even be an elephant or a rhino. No of course I'm not suggesting that you'd keep it in your back garden!

By adopting an animal you help to safeguard the future of their species.

The person on whose behalf you adopt the animal will receive a certificate, a picture of the animal, an information sheet and for all the adoptions except panda's receive quarterly updates throughout the year. The reason why you only get two updates for Panda's is because these adorable creatures are reputed to be extremely elusive and so are harder to track down and report on.

http://www.via-cornwall.co.uk/ have a nice range of Cornish eco jewellery and many other eco friendly gifts. They have ranges of gifts made from recycled materials too.

Around 285 million people in the world are visually impaired. Approximately 80% of these people could be cured simply and cheaply.

Spend between £8 and £100 (or more) to give someone their sight.

1. You purchase a gift for a friend or loved one at http://www.giftofsight.co.uk/ and choose a card or e-greeting
2. Your friend receives the card with your personal message
3. Registered charity Sightsavers use the money to change lives in the developing world

£8 gives an operation for the painful condition trichiasis

£12 gives eye tests and glasses for four people

£15 will help Sightsavers restore sight, prevent sight loss and help blind adults and children to live more independent lives.

There is a good choice of gifts, ranging from tea-towels to complex eye operations and teacher training

Buy a wild seed sack - 'Love in a bag' from http://www.wildsacks.co.uk/ Scatter the seeds together and watch your love grow. They also do a 'Sunshine in a Bag' variety as well as lots of other ethical and eco friendly stuff.

At Unicef's site a gift of £11.50 vaccinates 100 children in the developing world against Polio. There are many other life changing and life saving gifts to choose from. Check out the Secret Santa gifts all at under £10.