Good Deed, Anyone? - St. Vincent de Paul's Giving Tree

Since 2003, St Vincent de Paul have used Giving Trees at this time of the year. The one pictured above is located in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre but they're located in shopping centres and club houses the length & breadth of the country. 

Each year, since '03, when we're Christmas shopping the lads will choose a tag each and I'll double their wages for one week. They then get to pick out a present for the child on their tag and bring it back to the centre.

It's not a huge thing but it's thoughtful and they're more than happy to do it. I'd like to think it's encouraging them to be a little more civic minded and gives them some perspective too, which is definitely no bad thing. I've noticed they always pick older children, even when they were younger. It's enough to warm the cockles.

This year it's tougher than ever for families to make ends meet but if you find you could help in any way this is the ideal way to do it. As St Vincent de Paul say themselves 'You're not only donating a gift, you're giving hope'.

And who doesn't want to feel the warm & fuzzies from a good deed well done, eh?

If you're part of the Beauty Blogging Community & have gotten more goodies than you know what to do with, this tree is full to the brim with teen girls that'd love a goody bag of products they might not otherwise have the opportunity to try. I know I'll be putting together one or two and dropping them off with the lads' pressies.