If you are looking for an alternative to traditional gift-giving, there is a non-profit organization called World Vision that gives you the ability to make a specific charitable contribution on behalf of someone you love. You get a gift card to send to them.
- According to their information, 85% of every donation goes to their programs to help children and families overcome poverty in over 100 countries
- You can specify what country you want to help; for example, you can donate school supplies, warm clothes, or personal care items to low income families in the U.S.
There are a lot of gift options to choose from. And, I'm sure there are a lot of other similar organizations around.
Just food for thought if you are looking for gift-giving alternatives.
http://www.worldvisiongifts.org