Finding the right Christmas gift at the right price can be a challenge but if you're a shopper who's both canny and has a conscience, why not try Oxfam?
In addition to their clothes and accessories, the charity's shops have a range of gifts costing between a couple of pounds to £20 – meaning you reduce your spending while both delighting your loved ones and helping to save lives and support people who are less well off around the world.
For the little ones, there's the colourful Kantha pencil case for £4.99 with matching washbag for mum or big sister at £6.99, or treat the birds in your garden to a cute Fair Trade recycled paper birdhouse for just £9.99. Christmas games stocking fillers can be bought for as little as £1.99 and Christmas socks for the men in your life sell at £1.99.
For gourmands, try the Cafe Direct Handpicked Ground Coffee, £7.99, made by a collective of small Columbian growers, or the Divine Salted Caramel Thins which are also divine in taste, priced at £3.99. Then there's the decadent Dark Chocolate Black Cherries at £4.99 and the obligatory advent calender at £1.99.
To add some Christmas trimmings, there's a range of Oxfam sourced Christmas crackers for the table, six large ones for £7.99 and mini-crackers at £3.49 and Christmas napkins at £2.99 for 20.
And there's also a good chance you'll find a glitzy top or dress complete with shoes and clutch bag for £20 or under for a Christmas party night if you shop around in any of the north's Oxfam shops. Be advised, though: the party wear can come in fairly small sizes, suiting women who are size 8 or 10.
Oxfam Unwrapped Christmas gifts directly support projects and people – for instance, an Educate a Girl gift costs £23, while a gift costing the same price can provide safe water for a family. A new gift for this year is a Support a Refugee family, at £28.
:: For more information, visit your local Oxfam shop or visit www.oxfamireland.org/unwrapped or www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/christmas-gift-guide
