Starting an Alternative Christmas Gift Program

1. Starting an Alternative Christmas Gift Program St Francis of Assisi Parish Derwood, MD

2. Alternative Christmas Gifts • What is an Alternative Christmas Gift? • You make a donation to a charity in lieu of giving someone a “store-bought” gift • That donation represents a gift that helps our brothers and sisters in need locally and globally • A great example of an Alternative Christmas Gift is Heifer International – where you “buy” a flock of chicks for $20 for a family in a developing world country • You get a card to give saying that you bought chicks • The family gets the chicks and later on, eggs to sell or trade for income

3. Alternative Christmas Gift Program • Why Start an Alternative Christmas Gift Program? • To provide a way to reduce or replace the secular, commercial celebration of Christmas with a simpler, faith-based celebration • To raise money for local and global charities

4. Alternative Christmas Gift Program • How does it Work? • Gift cards representing services/items provided by participating charities are purchased in lieu of buying a “store-bought” gift • Gift cards can be purchased through • Direct Card Sales after Masses (Set up a table in your Gathering Space. Parishioners buy the cards and take them home) • Catalog Orders (Catalog contains a list of available gifts charities. Parishioners order the cards and card orders are filled and mailed back to them)

5. Steps to Starting an Alternative Gift Program • Get Everyone On Board • Present the idea to have an Alternative Christmas Sale to your Social Concerns Committee • Get your Pastor’s Approval • Recruit Volunteers • Place a notice in the bulletin seeking volunteers to plan, organize, and conduct the Alternative Christmas Sale

6. Steps to Starting an Alternative Gift Program • Plan the Sale • Schedule a meeting with the Volunteers • Decide on what charities to support • Set date(s) for the Sale • Set a location for the Sale • Get your Pastor’s OK for the Sale Dates & Location • Contact Your Charities • Let them know you’re planning an Alternative Christmas Sale • Ask if they would supply gift cards and envelopes (50 is probably a good starting number

7. Steps to Starting an Alternative Gift Program • Communications • Prepare a Flyer announcing the Sale to be placed in your bulletin • Prepare bulletin “blurbs” for the weeks leading up to the sale • Prepare talking points and get permission to speak about Alternative Christmas and announce the sale at each of the Masses • Work with your Parish admin staff to get the Flyer and the bulletin blurbs posted in the bulletin

8. Steps to Starting an Alternative Gift Program • Get the Word Out • 1st or 2nd Week in November – Bulletin Blurb describing Alternative Christmas and announcing the Sale • 4th Week in November – Flyer appears in bulletin • 1st Sunday in Advent – Catalog appears in bulletin • Speak at Masses or ask the Priest to read as part of the announcements at Mass

9. Steps to Starting an Alternative Gift Program • Conduct the Sale (December) • Pre-Sale Activities • Create a Display for the Sales Table • Set up the Sales Table • Line up volunteers to staff the table after all the Masses • Conduct the Sale • Tally results by Charities • Send Checks to Charities • Prepare bulletin “blurb” to announce results of Alternative Christmas, thank participants and volunteers

10. Need More Info? • Take one of our Quick Guides with you • Contact us: • Charles McCarthy, Social Concerns Director • (301) 840-1407 / cmccarthy@sfadw.org • Alternative Christmas Program Coordinators • Pat O’Connor (301)977-9208 / leafs20879@aol.com • Carol Lindsey (240)631-8180 /carlindsey@aol.com