10 charitable gifts that give back this holiday season
Over the holidays, making a difference in the world can be as easy as picking out a gift for a loved one. This season, several companies and charities are offering an assortment of presents that not only contribute to worthy causes but also allow shoppers to take home stylish trinkets at relatively affordable prices.
Scroll through our collection of awesome presents below.
Editor's note: Prices and product availability are subject to change throughout the holidays.
The Body Shop: $15
For the the friend that craves smooth skin, check out the Body Shop's vast array of holiday gift sets, which are made by fair trade communities around the globe. Proceeds from this oh-so-silky shea butter set will go toward providing employment, health and educational opportunities in Ghana. Proceeds from select sets will also boost the company's international conservation efforts, which currently include endangered wildlife protection and land restoration in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Proceeds from select sets will also boost the company's international conservation efforts, which this year include endangered wildlife protection and land restoration in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
eBay charity donations: $25 to $100
The online auction store is paying it forward this year through its recently launched Gifts That Give Back initiative, which helps consumers locate and donate to the charity of their choice.
Through the company's platform, charities can "sell" donations ranging from $25 to $100. After processing their donation, buyers receive digital certificates, which make great stocking stuffers.
Ten Thousand Villages: $29.99
This handcrafted travel set comes with everything a frequent flier could need over the holidays: a custom bag for your knickknacks, an eye mask, a pouch and ear plugs. A portion of the kit's profits help fund clean water initiatives, vocational training and other social services in Vietnam through a local non-profit organization called Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts.
Alex and Ani: $38
Give to the charity of your choice with these Alex and Ani "Charity by Design" bracelets. Items purchased until February 2017 will see 20% of thier proceeds donated to a variety of charities that range from UNICEF to the Cancer Research Foundation
This stylish candy cane bangle raises funds for Give Kids The World Village, a nonprofit that provides children with life-threatening illnesses and their families with a weeklong vacation in Florida.
Toms: $48
Toms is already well-known for its charitable endeavors, and one of the few companies that prioritizes a one-for-one giving model all year round. For every Toms item purchased, the company donates shoes, water supplies, vision care services and more to a community in need around the world.
Our top gift-giving pick for this season is this made-in-America unisex hoodie. Apple Watch owners looking for something new should also make sure to check out the company's exclusive watch bands that start at $49.
One Hope: $59
If the name of the company behind this wine sounds familiar, it's no coincidence. In the past five years, One Hope's products have gotten plenty of media representation, including spots in Oprah magazine, the LA Times, Redbook and on The Today Show.
Money raised from sales of the glittery bubbly is used to fight childhood hunger; each bottle sold provides 15 meals to underserved kids around the globe.
Cuddle + Kind dolls: $75
The makers of these hand-knit dolls are hoping to change the world one cuddle at a time. Every furry friend purchased from its site feeds 10 hungry children through the World Food Programme USA and the Children's Hunger Fund.
All its dolls are made in Peru from sustainable cotton yarn and they come in two sizes: little (13 inches) and regular (20 inches).
Tory Burch Foundation Seed Box: $98
Designer Tory Burch is giving future moguls a helping hand with her limited-time-only gift box, which features curated products from seven women-owned businesses.
In the box, buyers will find sea-salt detox bath products by Pursoma, vegan nail polish from Mischo Beauty, gold-plated chain necklace courtesy of 31 Bits and more. All proceeds will go to the company's Tory Burch Foundation to support women entrepreneurs.
Oxfam: $100
Skip the high-priced gadgets and give someone a goat this holiday season. Oxfam is selling holiday cards featuring the four-legged animal in an effort to give needy families in developing countries their very own goat. The scruffy creatures can be used for milk, income and food.
After purchase, you can download the card to your computer for printing, send it as an e-card or request a print version be delivered through UPS.
Little Lotus: $130
New parents will be able to sleep confidently thanks to this bundle of swaddles and sleeping gear from California-based startup Little Lotus.
Little Lotus' line of baby products uses NASA-influenced technology to prevent babies from overheating. Every warmer relies on a special fabric, originally created for spacesuits, that "draws away excess heat when babies get too warm, and releases it when they start to cool down." For every purchase, an infant warmer is given to a needy mother in a developing country.
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