Normally I don't take much notice of those flyers that newspaper people slip in between the sections of their newspapers.
I believe they're called flyers because they fly to the floor as soon as you open the paper. And it's a short hop from the floor to the recycle bin which is their destiny - unread.
Anyway, last week this happened and I looked down and this donkey looked up. And it said Buy Me!
So I did. Yesterday, with the convenience of internet shopping and I hope it is going to make someone's christmas a bit special this year.
I don't much like conventional shopping - all that pushing and shoving, never finding an assistant when you want one, beating great hords of them off with a stick when you don't. All that frustration ending in inevitable disappointment. But internet shopping is a boon! In fact, I find it so enjoyable I fear it's addictive...
After I put the donkey in the basket, I looked around to see what else they had and I ended up with a couple of mosquito nets, 50 small trees and a fresh water supply for 50 villagers. But the donkey still remains my favourite.
Of course, it isn't right to brag about your charitable donations, and I wouldn't. If I'm honest, I couldn't pretend to be very charitable. I agree with causes if pressed but I must have a high conscience threshold because without pressure it rarely crosses my mind that people are so much worse off than I would ever know.
The beauty of the 'Oxfam Unwrapped' scheme is it makes it fun - more than an act of slipping a fiver in a tin or buying a ticket for a raffle. Also, the bizarre notion of buying exotic farm animals as christmas gifts just about gives you permission to mention it to your friends in the pub.
And this is a mutual benefit because the more it gets around, the more donkeys will be wrapped up this christmas.
Or camels, or milk cows, or goats...
4 comments:
Wow. You can actually do that? Buy a donkey for someone? I would love to do that. How? Can I do it from Canada?
Love your blog btw!
Thanks for visiting my blog. Very nice OXFAM post too - love your donkey!
Our local Amnesty Group (Nelson, BC Canada) is holding a Giving Faire this weekend in the library. We have about 20 NGOs with booths - they will all taking donations as Christmas gifts - the gift recipient gets a nice card telling them about the gift made in their name.
well that's a pleasant surprise! (hi anne, hi gary)
i wasn't expecting any readers yet, never mind comments. encouraging comments too! :o)
anne, i don't see why you couldn't buy from canada on a credit card (if you use them). they would convert at the current exchange rate. maybe Oxfam operate in canada, i'm not sure. the link to Oxfam UK is via the donkey's portrait.
gary, that sounds similar to the Oxfam system - i'm awaiting my christmas card as we speak. you can ask to send the card to someone else, buying the gift in their name so to speak.
i should confess that i don't believe it's always an actual donkey everytime, but the donation goes to the upkeep of much needed animals, medicines and veterinary costs etc. its all donkey related and anyway, christmas is a time to pretend in santa claus and things.
The combination of credit cards and the burgeoning online internet shopping bonanza, gasoline and fire at it's finest!
Found the entry and the slant, strangely amusing. I love the combination of strange and amusing, bravo.
Canadians rant...
How can we use these strange and wonderful plastic thingys that someone sent me in the mail!
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