It’s the most wonderful time of the year but for so many it can be a difficult time.

Many Kiwis will not get to spend Christmas with loved ones feasting on an array of delicious food or opening presents. 

At this time of year, when we can get so wrapped up in the festivities, it’s important to think of those less fortunate.

We have put together a list of ways to spread the love this Christmas season and help those less fortunate than us that doesn’t involved donating a huge sum of money.

Donate.

Sometimes we take the essentials for granted.

For many, it’s nothing to pop some Weetbix or a can of Baked Beans in the shopping trolley at the supermarket. But many families go hungry because they can’t afford even the cheapest of foods.

Next time you are at the supermarket, include a few non-perishables in your trolley to donate to your local food bank.

This includes things like cereals, canned fish, canned vegetables (green beans, corn, tomatoes), canned fruit, spreads (marmite, peanut butter), rice and pasta or toiletries such as shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes, tampons and pads, soap and moisturiser.

If you are wanting to help children specifically, why not support one of Billie’s favourite charities? Foster Hope supports foster children of all ages, including teenagers, who do not have the essentials - in fact some have never even owned a toothbrush. There are a few different ways to support Foster Hope but my favourite idea involves hitting the shops to pick up some essentials to donate (toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash, flannels, roll-on deodorant, shampoo for all ages, period products). 

Get a group of friends together and pool together your money ($10 to $20 each will go a long way) and head to the Warehouse or Kmart. See how many essentials you can get for your money.

If you want to go the extra mile, pick up some brand new PJs or underwear or some toys for the younger kids to open on Christmas Day.

If you want to buy something nice for the teenage girls in foster homes, perhaps buy some nice beauty products like a lip balm, some nice moisturiser, a body spray or a small accessory like a necklace or bracelet. This is a great way to spend time with your friends but also do something good for other kids in New Zealand.

Did you have a spring clean and find a bunch of stuff you no longer want or use? Amazing! If it’s still in good condition, clean it up and donate it.

Think clothes that no longer fit or you never wear, toys from when you were younger, books you are finished with. There are plenty of charities that will be happy to take your well cared for belongings and find them a new home. You can also donate these goods to your local op shop, most of which are charities where the money goes to great causes.

If you are an animal lover, check out the SPCA website for what donations they need. It can be as simple as some old sheets, towels or blankets to keep the animals snug as a bug!

Spend Time.

If you don’t have money or goods to donate, you can always donate your time!

Spending time is one of the easiest ways to give back to charities that need it.

You could volunteer to help cook at a local City Mission or help to pack boxes for a local Food Bank. You could also volunteer at Ronald McDonald House Charity by helping with housework, cooking, or assisting the duty manager in reception. 

Although submissions to Voices of Hope’s Campaign against Loneliness are now closed, this doesn’t mean you can’t still create some beautiful and heartfelt Christmas cards for some elderly who may be lonely this holiday season. Get in touch with your local rest home and ask whether there are any residents that may benefit from some Christmas cheer! You could hand deliver the cards to the residents - we bet you’ll get some huge smiles!

If you know of someone in your community that will be spending Christmas day alone, invite them along to join you and your family. Time spent together is a gift in itself.

Speaking of spending time together, consider signing up to spend quality time with a Kiwi kid, who needs it. 

Many children in New Zealand lack an adult in their life who consistently shows up for them and that’s where mentoring comes in. Most mentor programmes require you to be over the age of 18 so this is a great opportunity for uni students who have a bit of extra time on their hands. All that is required of you is to show up and spend quality time with a young person who needs it, for two hours every week, for a year. This time spent together means the world for a lot of children who just simply need someone to show they care. Our favourite mentoring programme is Upside Youth Mentoring, based in Auckland, however there are a range of other mentoring organisations across the country.

You could also sign up to be a companion for Camp Quality. A companion is a special person, aged 18 and over, who donates their time to a Camper to provide one-to-one support for the week of camp and beyond. The Camp Quality Campers are children, 5 to 16 years of age, who have been diagnosed with cancer. Their programmes provide a stress-free and caring environment for the children where fun and friendship are combined with achievable challenges - allowing the children to “just be kids”. 

Support.

Every year you sit around the dining table on Christmas Day and share Christmas crackers. These usually contain a lame-ass joke fit for an uncle, a crappy little plastic toy and of course the Christmas hat (a favourite!). Why not pick up a KidsCan cracker instead?

Each cracker is in with a chance to win one of 9,000 awesome prizes that would make Christmas Day so much better! Plus every cracker sold goes towards helping Kiwi kids affected by poverty.

Looking for some cool stocking fillers for your friends? Why not buy them a CanTeen bandanna! The CanTeen bandannas are an awesome gift, particularly for a friend who loves a hair accessory moment. There are nine different designs available for purchase, including a cute floral one designed by Ruby.

If you are wanting to buy something purposeful to donate, rather than just donating money, find a charity you want to support, such as Kindness Collective and ask them what they need. It may be that they need brand new clothes, underwear, toiletries etc. Charities all rely on the generosity of strangers so even if you feel like you’re not making a difference, it means the world to them.

Lastly, remember there is no such thing as too small of a donation. Charities rely on the goodness of the generosity of the public and greatly appreciate any help they can get - all year round.

Whether you donate money, time or goods, you are making a difference!

If you want to find a charity to support, head to www.chivecharities.nz.