This year in the lead-up to Christmas, we're publishing a list of gift ideas we've come across which might make for a good alternative. But we'd love to hear from you too - if you have a good gift idea, just add it to the list!...

SAMARITAN'S PURSE WATER BOTTLE

Samaritan's Purse is offering people the chance to purchase a 750ml stainless steel bottle as part of it's Turn On The Tap campaign for clean water. Buy a bottle ($26) and they will guarantee at least one person in South East Asia will have clean water for life as a result.

~ www.turnonthetap.org.au

BUY A TOILET AND HELP TRANSFORM A LIFE

Tear Australia has once again published The (Arguably) World's Most Useful Gift Catalogue. The 23 gifts this year range from $5 to buy a set of school supplies for someone, to $70 to buy a toilet, and up to $1,500 to buy a well and hand-pump.

~ www.usefulgifts.org

OXFAM UNWRAPPED

The Oxfam Unwrapped website features a range of gifts which you can buy to bless someone here and overseas. They range from cattle manure to help a Sri Lankan family grow their crops ($15) to a gift of some bees to help an entrepreneur in Malawi generate an income ($103) and a bridge for a community in Cambodia ($675).

~ www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au

GIFTS OF COMPASSION

Child focused agency Compassion Australia has a range of 18 gifts available online - from $11 for a mosquito net to $36 for a child's dental visit and $5312 for some carpentry workshops for fathers.

~ www.compassion.com.au/shop/product_list.php?intcategoryid=10

SMILES CATALOGUE

World Vision Australia's Smiles catalogue features five pages of gift ideas - from $5 for a packet of pencils so a child can go to school to $100 for a bicycle for a teacher and, if you're feeling particularly generous, $89,950 to buy water and sanitation for an entire community.

~ http://trans.worldvision.com.au/Smiles/GiftCatalogue/Gifts.aspx