Looking for Christmas gifts that give back this year? Oxfam Unwrapped has a delightful range of charity gift cards that support Oxfam's work with people living in poverty around the world. They’re all tax-deductible, too.
We've pulled together 12 of our favourites, organised by who you're buying for. And if you're hoping to receive donations instead of gifts this Christmas, we know it can be tricky to ask for. We wrote some words you can copy or make your own.
How Oxfam Unwrapped gift cards work
Each Oxfam Unwrapped card is a tax-deductible donation made in your loved one's name, with a beautiful illustrated card for them to open on the day.
You choose your card type: a blank card posted to you to write in yourself, a personalised card sent directly to your recipient with your message inside, an e-card emailed instantly (or scheduled for Christmas morning), or a print-at-home PDF emailed to you within 30 minutes. The donation goes towards Oxfam's work around the world, and your recipient gets something meaningful to unwrap. Learn more about how it works.
12 Christmas gifts that give back
Laos: Long raises chickens and ducks, with help from Oxfam's livelihoods programme. The eggs she gets from her hens help her earn extra income and feed her children. Photo: Rachel Schaevitz/Oxfam
For her
1. Christmas Handloom, from $88
This is the card that'll have her in stitches (literally and figuratively). Your donation can support women like Rishani in Sri Lana, who are learning the business skills they need to turn their weaving into a profitable livelihood.
Rishani credits Oxfam's RIES program with transforming how she thinks about her work. She says it “created an opportunity to stimulate the business thinking, develop business models and motivated us to make it happen." A gorgeous card with a real story makes for a gift with impact.
2. Safe Refuge for Women, from $28
For someone who values women's safety, this is a gift that means something. Your donation can fund programs that give women and their families safe places to stay and that challenge the causes of family and gender-based violence. It’s a meaningful gift at an accessible price point.
For him
3. Christmas Fish, from $10
Is this the most unexpected gift on the list? At $10, it’s definitely the most affordable. Your donation can support Oxfam's work with fishing communities along the Mekong River, including Chantha in Cambodia, who is raising awareness about endangered species and monitoring fish populations to protect the livelihoods of her entire community. No tank required, and the card is guaranteed to get a laugh.
4. Christmas Duck, from $41
For the man who's hard to buy for. Your donation can go towards programs that help women like Ana in Timor-Leste raise farm animals and grow vegetables to sell at market, building a reliable income.
Ana put it simply: "I felt a big change in my life… I could leave behind my life where I was unemployed and not productive..." And at home, this duck will sit on the mantelpiece to bring chuckles all season.
For kids
5. Christmas Chicken, from $14
A hilariously unexpected card for a child old enough to appreciate the absurdity — and a donation that can help families living in poverty earn a living. It's also a great way to open a conversation with kids about why Christmas is about more than things. Warm 'n fuzzies guaranteed, much like a baby chick.
6. Kids Bundle, $90 (save $23)
Five cards in one: Duck, Clean Water, Toilet Paper, Honey and Emergency Food Supplies. The Kids Bundle was made for children who are ready to understand that generosity is a skill you practise. Funny enough to hold their attention, and meaningful enough to start a conversation. Available as a Blank Card or Print at Home. Saves $23 on buying the cards separately.
For a colleague or Kris Kringle
7. Honey, from $15
A perfect Kris Kringle option at $15. Your donation can support people living in poverty to build sustainable livelihoods. People like Koruna, who became the only female honey farmer in Bangladesh through a green business training program run by Oxfam's local partner organisation, the Community Development Centre.
8. Christmas Goat, from $58
For a colleague with a sense of humour. Your donation can support Oxfam's work with women around the world to raise animals and grow food for their families. The card arrives with "Fleece Navidad" energy, and you can bleat about what a good gift-giver you are for years.
Shop the Christmas Goat or browse all Kris Kringle gifts for more Christmas gifts that give back.
For the person who has everything
9. Christmas Animal Bundle, $120 (save $38)
If you’re like a lot of us, you probably know a few people whose response to "what do you want for Christmas?" is "nothing." Keep your shopping simple and bundle three cards in one: a Goat, a Chicken and a Cow.
Your donation can support farmers like Seetha in Sri Lanka, who improved her small-scale cinnamon farm through Oxfam-supported training and coaching: "I am very happy to say that RIES project changed my life." Save $38 on buying the cards separately, and give them all something they definitely don't already have.
Shop the Christmas Animal Bundle
10. Christmas Collection Bundle, $300 (save $58)
Seven cards in one (a Duck, Chicken, Goat, Cow, Fish, Handloom and Garden) that covers your whole gift list and supports communities living in poverty. For the person who has everything, this is the gift: not a thing, but a contribution. It saves $58 on buying the cards separately, and you'll be done shopping in under five minutes.
Last-minute gifts
11. Emergency Food Supplies, from $20
Forgot someone? Or maybe you’re just swamped. Order an e-card and it's in their inbox instantly. This brand-new gift can fund essential food like lentils, flour, and sugar for communities in the midst of a hunger crisis. When Imam in Pakistan lost her home to flooding, essentials like these were what allowed her family to survive and begin rebuilding. Choose the e-card option for instant delivery, or schedule it for Christmas morning.
12. Menstrual Supplies, from $30
Send this as an e-card for instant delivery. Your donation can help women and girls maintain their health and dignity during times of crisis or conflict. The e-card arrives instantly, and the impact lasts far longer.
Shop the Menstrual Supplies card or browse all charity Christmas gifts.
Asking for a donation instead of Christmas gifts (and how to do it well)
Maybe you have everything you need, want a more sustainable Christmas, or simply want to support a cause you care about. If that's you, read on to learn how to ask for a donation in lieu of gifts gracefully. And if you want to give a donation as someone's gift, we’ll also show you how to make it feel like a real present.
How Oxfam Unwrapped makes donation gifts feel like real gifts
The most common objection to receiving a donation as a gift is simple: there's nothing to open on the day. We’ve solved that.
When you send a Personalised Card, it arrives in the mail addressed to your recipient, with your own message inside and a beautifully illustrated card showing exactly what the donation supports. You could also order a blank card sent to yourself, and hand write your message in the card. It’ll be in their hands for Christmas.
Choose your card, write your message, and Oxfam handles the rest. See how it works.
Wording for asking for a donation instead of Christmas gifts
Here are a few ways to let the people in your life know that a donation is what you'd really like this year. Copy them as-is, or adjust to suit your voice.
For family (warm and personal):
"I already have everything I need. If you'd like to give me something, the most meaningful gift would be a donation to Oxfam in my name. Even $10 goes towards their work with people living in poverty. You can choose an Oxfam Unwrapped card and we can all have a chuckle."
For a group or workplace (simple and brief):
"Rather than gifts this year, I'd love it if you'd consider a small donation to Oxfam Australia. It's tax-deductible and takes about two minutes at unwrapped.oxfam.org.au. No pressure at all, but it would mean a lot."
One-liner version:
"No gifts needed this year. But if you'd like to do something, a small donation to Oxfam in my name would make my Christmas."
Wording for giving a donation as a gift in someone's honour
If you're sending an Oxfam Unwrapped card as a donation gift on someone's behalf, here are some ideas for what to write inside.
Formal and heartfelt (for the Personalised Card):
"This Christmas, instead of a gift, I've made a donation to Oxfam Australia in your name. I chose the [card name] because I know how much you care about [cause/issue], and this is a way for both of us to do something about it. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas."
Light and warm (for a friend who'll appreciate the pun):
"I got you a [Christmas Goat/Fish/Duck/etc.] — please don't ask where to keep it. In all seriousness, this card is a donation in your name that supports Oxfam's work with [farming families/fishing communities/women building businesses]. Merry Christmas!"
Shop Oxfam Unwrapped charity Christmas gifts. Or, for more on why donation gifts work so well, read 7 benefits of donations as gifts and how to ask for donations as gifts this Christmas.
How to order and when to order by
Physical cards
All physical cards are dispatched within 1-2 business days. Standard delivery in Australia is free and takes 7-10 business days; express Australian delivery is $7.50 per 15 cards and arrives in 1-3 business days. Note that personalised and blank cards are sent separately, so they won't arrive in the same envelope. Check the delivery page for the current Christmas cut-off date before you order.
Digital options — a last-minute solution
E-cards are sent directly to your recipient's inbox and can be scheduled for any date and time, including Christmas morning. They never have to know you sorted it yesterday. Print-at-home cards are emailed to you as a PDF within 30 minutes. Both are free of shipping charges and available instantly, right up to the last moment.
Need help?
Call Oxfam Unwrapped on FREECALL 1800 088 110 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm AEDT) to place your order over the phone.
All Oxfam Unwrapped gifts are tax-deductible donations. A tax receipt is issued with every purchase.
And if you want more ideas for the Christmas season, discover 28 ideas for donating to charity this Christmas.