It’s that time of year when I post a Christmas wish list and hope to find some goodies from my list under my tree.

This year I want to try something new. I want everyone to take whatever money they’d spend on a Christmas gift for Drew or me and donate the amount to their local food bank, soup kitchen, or favourite local charity. Once you’ve done that send us a card letting us know which charity you’ve donated to. We don’t need to know the amount.

After Chrismas I’ll post a list of all the charities our friends and family donated to over the Christmas season. I hope it’ll be a lengthy one.

As lovely as gifts under the tree are, many of us still have a job and a roof over our heads. Not everyone has been as fortunate. I’m asking our friends and family to adopt the true spirit of the season and understand why we’ve chosen not to buy or send presents this year.

Over the next few days I’ll be picking the local charities Drew and I will be donating to and start working on my Christmas cards. We’ll be eagerly awaiting your cards.

UPDATE: I’m challenging the world – friends, family & strangers – to do the same this holiday season. Put a little less under your own tree in order to help provide for someone else.

UPPERDATE: Unsure who to donate to? Think local or pick a cause that supports something near and dear to your heart. Love to read? Choose Kids Need to Read or your local library. Love animals? Pick a local animal shelter or rescue league. Know what it’s like to go hungry? Donate to a soup kitchen or foodbank.

Still not sure? Feel free to follow in our footsteps. Last year Drew was in Afghanistan over Christmas and I chose to support a number of charities rather than buying gifts for most of the people on our Christmas list. Then, I chose Kids Need to Read, Central Asia Institute, Edmonton Foodbank, Edm Humane Society, WIN House, Canadian Cancer Society, Salvation Army and World Vision Alternate Gifts. This year I suspect the list of beneficiaries may be a wee bit smaller so that we can donate a larger amount to the charities we select. Just remember, there’s no right or wrong way to participate in the Christmas Wish List Challenge.

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