The Annual Gift O'Cow

Every year, for Christmas, we make a donation to Heifer International.  I give to various charities over the year, of course, but Heifer gets the big Christmas donation in part because it feels like an actual gift: you don’t just donate money, but you buy a llama for a small village, or a flock of geese, or you send a girl to school.
(I’m reasonably sure the money’s just wadded up and doled out as Heifer sees fit, but it’s a clever way of making your donation seem more tangible.  And Heifer’s efficiency rating in terms of how much money it actually passes on to the people in question is reasonably high.)
This year’s gift, in honor of my new heart-healthier living, was a full gardener’s gift basket.  (Appropriately enough, this included a hive of bees.)  But if you’re lucky enough to have some spare dosh hanging about this year and feel like giving to those in need, I’d recommend you take a look at their gift catalog, which has donations for all price ranges.
And if it’s not to them, give to someone.  In the welter of expensive gifts, it’s easy to forget just how much a little gift means to those who are truly bereft.  It doesn’t take much for you, but it means so much to them.