Christmas is a time of giving, and what better way to give than to charity?

If you're stuck for ideas this Christmas or want to buy presents that not only benefit the people you give them to, but also the people who made them and those in need, then there are some great gift ideas on offer this year from a wide range of charities.

Top Deals
Charity	Purpose	Visit Shop
	Addresses global threats to people and nature and aims to create long-term solutions for a sustainable planet environment.	Visit Shop
	Catholic charity that helps poverty stricken communities around the world.	Visit Shop
	Helps poor African farmers produce food for their families.	Visit Shop
	Protects children from cruelty, supports vulnerable families, campaigns for changes to the law.	Visit Shop
	Cares for sick and injured animals of people in need.	Visit Shop
	Tackles world poverty and its causes.	Visit Shop

CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) offers Traidcraft goods such as wine, hampers, food, and world gifts, with the proceeds going towards improving the standards of living for people around the world, as well as things that can be sent to people in need, such as a vegetable garden or school starter kit.

Children's charity NSPCC offers a festive range of Christmas essentials, from wrapping paper and cards to great stocking fillers like 2009 diaries and calendars.

Know any pet lovers? Then PDSA – the charity for pets in need of vets – offers a wide variety of gifts such as calendars, personalised and unusual items and DVDs, not all of them pet-related.

World Vision, one of the world's leading relief and development agencies, offers a different type of Christmas present – one that gets sent to people in need. You can buy a meal for 70 children, or even a goat. Great for the person who has everything!

You can help WWF to protect the planet and the things that live on it by getting your Christmas presents from its wide range of ethical gifts, which includes candles, Christmas puddings, diaries, and eco-friendly gift ideas for your green friends.

FARM-Africa sells gifts that go to the people that need them the most – send a goat, some seeds, a chicken or a camel, and when you sit down to your roast this Christmas day you could also be helping another family to put dinner on their table!

And it is not too late to buy your Christmas cards – the last day for first class post is December 20, so you have plenty of time to pick out some charity cards online – from NCPCC, FARM-Africa, PDSA, or WWF – and send them out to all your friends and family!