Goats are ‘so last year’, Intelligent Giving found, when it evaluated the gifts available from 200 charity websites by how much interest they generate and how useful the gifts seem for the individuals who will receive them.

In the search for inventive presents at Christmas, many people opt to buy a charity gift on behalf of a relative or friend for people who are in need, in place of another pack of socks, and it is becoming increasingly popular.

A camel, the website found, came out as the winner in its Top 10 list of charity gifts, because “you can ride them, milk them, and even use their dung for fertilizer.”

Other front-runners included fish cages to help people living in Bangladeshi flood areas to breed fish to help feed their families, the Collect and Destroy a Weapon Fund which contributed to clearing armaments from recent war zones, pineapple plants, the fruits of which provide families with important nutrients, and school uniforms for pupils in developing countries.

Buying charity gifts has become increasingly popular and easy to do thanks to the internet, where ethically-minded consumers or those who are simply looking for something a bit different can buy things which can help change people’s lives, not just camels but also school packs for children, chickens, and goats.

There is also a wide range of Christmas cards and ethically sourced gifts available, such as wine, personalised trinkets and 2009 diaries, the proceeds from which go to charity.

And for shoppers who really want to maximize the ethical element of their festive season, they can buy their Christmas shopping with a charity credit card and donate money to one of their favourite charities while they spend.

© Fair Investment Company Ltd