For many years if you wanted to donate to a charity or other good cause you were faced with the option of a cash donation. This article looks at the ever changing face of charity gifts and how donors can now choose from a wide variety of options when it comes to making a donation to their favourite charitable organisation or venture.

Fundraising and charitable donations have, like so many other businesses, have suffered in the wake of the financial problems that all parts of the World have seen in the past two years. And yet despite a downturn in donations to charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, there have been some changes when it comes to the type of donation that is now available to would be donors.

And instead of buying Christmas presents or other gifts, it is now becoming extremely popular to make a donation to charity on behalf of the person you are buying for. This method of donation has been available now for a few years with donations made being used to buy chickens or goats for families in parts of the world where such an item would be extremely beneficial.

And just as the Worlds economy has seen dramatic changes, the type of gift you can now obtain has also changed. In fact the most popular gift according to the independent charities watchdog Intelligent Giving for Christmas 2008 was a Camel which was available from Oxfam. For less than one hundred pounds sterling you could arrange for a camel to be provided to an African family. Not only does the camel give them a great mode of transport but it also gives the family nutritious milk as well as the camel dung being used for fuel or fertilisers. Whereas western families might receive a selection box at Christmas the African family could well receive transport, food and fuel in one package.

Other animal related gifts available still include the old favourites of chickens and goats as well as animals such as donkeys, sheep, cows or snails.

As well as animals as gifts you can now decide to make a donation that will provide a family with food such as coffee or rice or even making sure a certain number of people receive safe tap water.

Other donations can be made that will fund projects in third world countries including well fixing, providing emergency shelters, the building of bogs or just general home improvements.

The truth is the charity and voluntary sectors may have suffered in recent times due to donors being reluctant to donate for fear that their donation was being taken up with administration costs rather than reaching the actual people who need it. This way of donors knowing exactly what the cause is getting is proving to be very popular so if you want to give an unusual but highly welcome gift this year then instead of socks or a jumper remember that fish cages, pineapple plants and bull semen is proving to be very popular.