Canadians want gifts that give back

One third of Canadians plan to scale back their holiday spending, according to a new Canada Helps poll.

The poll also found nearly half of the people asked said they’d prefer a gift that makes a difference, such as a charitable donation.

Nicole Danesi is a public relations manager with Unite for Change. She said the poll shows that Canadians are very aware of the challenges other community members are facing.

“Two in ten Canadians so about 22 per cent are expecting to rely on essential charitable services in the next six months,” said Danesi.

“This is something like food and shelter for example and that stat was actually at 14-percent in January so it’s increased.”

Danesi said that Canadian gift giving practices have changed since last year.

"Among that group of Canadians that expecting to crawl back their giving, parents were much more likely to reduce their holiday spending versus families without children," she added.

This year the Sudbury branch of the Salvation Army plans to hand out over 900 Christmas hampers and hopes to raise over $200,000 through the Kettle campaign.

"People are dropping off toys, gift cards for toys as a way to help ensure that kids have a nice Christmas because we have a lot and we keep accumulating more and more now is a good change to give back," said the army's area director Jeffrey Robertson.

The CTV Lions Children’s Christmas Telethon is another regional charity campaign, which has been running for 74 years, aims to put smiles on family’s faces on Christmas morning.

Telethon Chair Sam Khoury said people all over the region and beyond always come through for local families in need.

"When we go around and they know this is for the telethon everybody try’s to give a hand and to help the telethon to assist those families and the kids because you have to put a smile on the face of those kids at Christmas time," said Khoury.

According to Canada Helps, Tuesday November 29th is labeled Giving Tuesday. The aim is to highlight creative ways to give the community through the holiday season by encouraging donations to your favourite cause.