Donate your unwanted Christmas presents, urges Oxfam

An unwanted present could prove welcome elsewhere, according to a charity that is asking recipients to donate.

And in case anyone thinks the appeal does not apply to them, Oxfam Ireland says a survey it commissioned has found that more than eight in 10 Irish adults have received an unwanted gift on Christmas morning.

More than half of us have apparently received clothes or beauty products that did not meet expectations — or were maybe the wrong size or colour.

One in three have been given a book that remains unopened, with gadgets, jewellery, and homeware following close behind in the unpopularity stakes.

However, the study of 960 people in October found that 85% would consider donating their unwanted Christmas gifts to a charity shop.

With 51 shops, Oxfam Ireland says that every item that is donated helps, no matter how small. Things in the most unpopular gift categories are exactly what they are looking for, along with bags and accessories, CDs, DVDs, soft furnishings, and even wedding dresses.

“It takes just a moment to bag an unwanted gift but it could change a life forever. So think twice before binning that unwanted present or shoving it to the back of the wardrobe,” said Oxfam Ireland head of retail, Michael McIlwaine.

The charity’s emergency response in places such as Syria and South Sudan, or long-term projects elsewhere could benefit as follows:

• A top sold for €6 could help purify 2,000 litres of water for a South Sudan makeshift camp;
• €15 for an unopened cosmetic set could supply an eco-friendly efficient stove to a family in Democratic Republic of Congo;
• An unwanted necklace sold for €30 will feed a child orphaned by Aids in Malawi for over three months.

Find your nearest Oxfam shop at www.oxfamireland.org/shops