About good giving - or: Giving Tuesday instead of Black Friday

December marks the beginning of the season of giving and thinking about each other. At a time that is also characterized by multiple crises around the world, the desire for meaningful gifts beyond excessive consumption and self-interest is becoming increasingly important for many.

War, the climate crisis and displacement are causing existential hardship for millions of people around the world, and the effects have long been felt in Austria too, hitting people at risk of poverty particularly hard.

For many years, the Caritas online store www.schenkenmitsinn.at has been offering gift ideas with a social impact that not only bring joy to the recipient, but also help people at home and abroad. While the person receiving the gift receives a beautiful ticket with a brief description of the project and learns how and where help is being provided, the amount donated goes directly to emergency aid in Austria and around the world. There are many ways of giving and helping at the same time.

Caritas crèche with a purpose

This year, Schenken mit Sinn is offering the opportunity to order the matching nativity scene figurine for 3.90Ꞓ in addition to selected donation gifts and thus put together a "nativity scene with meaning". With the purchase of a donation combination with a nativity figure, you will receive a complete package lovingly illustrated by the Viennese illustrator Ms. Isa to give to others or set up yourself.

The set includes a nativity figure die-cut from hard cardboard and a personalized greeting card, which are sent in a printed envelope. The sets are only available in combination with the linked donation gift.

"Caritas Karma" tennis socks: helping step by step

The Schenken mit Sinn store is now also receiving celebrity support from Austrian pop star Christina Stürmer, cabaret artist Manuel Rubey, comedian Christoph Fritz, the band folkshilfe and fashion blogger Constantly K. These celebrities are wearing the "Caritas Karma" tennis socks, which promote charity and solidarity with messages such as "Flaming Feminist" and "Radically Confident". A double pack costs 19.80 euros and the purchase supports help for people affected by poverty in Austria, e.g. with a warm sleeping bag or a school bag.

This is how it works:

• Select a gift: Find an unusual gift, e.g. a sheep or a fruit tree. This will give your loved ones a very special treat and you will have helped someone else.
• The right products to give as a gift: Would you like to give something you can touch? Combine your gift with matching, fairly produced T-shirts, socks, soft toys and much more.
• Gift card to give to someone else: When you buy a gift, you receive a gift card to give to someone else. This allows you to show your loved ones which aid project is being supported in their name.
• Deduct your gift as a donation: All donated gifts support Caritas aid projects and are tax-deductible. This does not apply to the purchase of products (T-shirts, bags, stuffed animals, etc.)

Giving with meaning - threefold: processing by long-term unemployed people

The project "IdA - Integration through Work" in Knittelfeld, Styria, is responsible for "Giving with Meaning". The project employs long-term unemployed people in Austria and offers individual socio-educational support for the participants. They take care of your order, organize the warehouse, pack the products, envelope the gift cards and prepare them for dispatch.

All products from Schenken mit Sinn pay attention to the responsible use of our planet's resources.

#GivingTuesday

On December 3, #GivingTuesday will once again be celebrated around the world. For the sixth time, Caritas, together with Austrian NPOs, companies and private individuals, is also putting this idea of giving and social cohesion at the center of the Advent season. Whether donating money, goods or time, there are many ways to get involved on the International Day of Giving. All information can be found at www.giving-tuesday.at.

All Caritas aid projects, as well as T-shirts, bags and products from Caritas facilities can be found in the online store