My Charity Challenge with Salvation Army

My local charity shop

We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, in fact, looking back I don't know how my mum managed to feed, clothe and keep us warm in winter with the few pennies coming in each week, let alone buy us presents at Christmas!

She always managed to make sure we had something under the tree, but my memories of Christmas are not only the presents, but the little things that made Christmas special - staying up late on Christmas Eve under the blanket watching movies, leaving out milk for Santa and finding it empty in the morning, making paper chains and having them all around the house and snuggling around the fire to watch The Wizard of Oz.

Children want the magic of Christmas and it does not have to cost the earth and there is one source to obtain presents that 2 thirds of us do not tap into for one reason or another, and that is charity shopping.  Now children don't need to know where the magic of Christmas comes from, just that it does.  All children need to know is Santa bought them presents for being good, that the glitter on the grass is from his sleigh and snuggling down on Christmas Eve, staying up late and watching TV are the special magic moments that will last.

£4 brand new Mr Men Gift Set

So, with that being said would any of the following facts surprise you?:

• Did you know that two-thirds of people will never buy Christmas clothes or gifts from a charity shop at Christmas? (Salvation Army research).
• The average person spends £415 on Christmas – if just £5 of this was spent in a charity shop, we could raise £130m for good causes? 
• Spending a little makes a big different - £9 could bring a homeless person in from the cold while £19 could buy a Christmas box for a family in need and £28 can help five lonely older people enjoy a proper Christmas lunch and friendship. 

My £5 bag helping to raise £130m to good causes!

I've been out this past couple of weeks and had a good look round the charity shops, there is no shame in this, and if anything you are giving to a good cause why not shop there?  Why not buy a couple of stocking fillers from the Salvation Army store?  Why not buy Christmas decorations from Oxfam or your Christmas cards from Cancer Research UK?  Shouldn't this be the time to do exactly that?  A time of giving, thinking of others and being thankful for what we have?

Supporting my local charity shop

And it is with thanks to those who are having a clear out and donating their pre-loved items to the charity shops that others are able to have a magical Christmas too.  If you are one who donates to charity then why not join with the Salvation Army's Christmas Charity Shop Challenge?  They want to see your photos and help them spread the word of the hidden treasures that can be found in a charity shop.

75p stocking fillers

£2 as a new scarf - ideal stocking filler

If you want to join in upload your pictures on Instagram, Twitter or the Salvation Army website using the hashtag #MyCharityChallenge.  You can also join in with a Twitter Party on Thursday 4th December 2014 hosted by Tots100 and @SalvationArmyUK using #MyCharityChallenge.

Christmas Decorations

Our £2 bargain from The Salvation Army

Do you enjoy finding little treasures in your local charity shop?