You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

Charitable Gifts Don't Have to Be Boring Here's how a few companies are successfully touting fun gifts with purpose in 2015.

By Coppy Holzman

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

As conspicuous consumption has been giving way to more conscious consumerism in recent years (Kardashians aside), applying that conscious consumerism to holiday gift-giving can still present a challenge. On the one hand, there are gifts of stuff that may be fun to receive but are likely to end up collecting dust. On the other extreme is the kind of noble, "a donation has been made in your name" giving made famous on Seinfeld by an irate George Costanza: "I got him Yankee tickets. He got me a piece of paper saying I've given your gift to someone else!" Well-intended, sure, but fun and festive -- no.

Related: Stumped on Office Gifts for the Holidays? Here Are Some Handy Ideas.

Thankfully, an increasing number of brands are offering ways to give that brings joy to the recipient and benefit the greater good. Warby Parker donates a pair of prescription glasses for every pair of frames or shades purchased by its hip clientele. TOMS famously does the same with shoes and has expanded into similar giving models, including a line of coffee -- perfect for casual, intra-office gifts -- that supports clean water initiatives.

Feed has provided educational opportunities and more than 85 million meals for children around the world through the sale of its bags, accessories and apparel. Sarah Oliver, a lesser-known startup, has a mission of empowering older Americans by re-engaging them in the economy. The company sells fashion-forward handbags, all of which are hand-knit by seniors (average age of 88) at the Redwoods Retirement community in Northern California.

At my company, Charitybuzz, we call this kind of gifting, "givting." Official dictionary status is pending, but we hope the idea helps fuel a movement to add meaning to our holiday gifts. If even a portion of the billions we spend on holiday shopping is diverted to gifts that benefit the greater good, the opportunity to make a difference is huge. Our holiday GIVT auctions include playing golf with Ian Poulter and Todd Wagner to benefit Dreamflight, Graff Diamonds & Beats by Dre headphones to benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, lunch with Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton to benefit the Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research and a chance to meet soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to benefit the Forever Dream Foundation.

Related: 3 Secrets Behind the '80/20 Rule' of Giving -- and Getting More In Return

There are dozens of other once-in-a-lifetime GIVTs up for auction, from meetings with business leaders and casting agents to walk-on roles and vacations in celebrity homes. Last year, our auctions raised over $6 million for our charity partners and created countless unforgettable moments for the lucky winners.

While admittedly, most Charitybuzz auctions fetch a hefty sum, I'm thrilled to see other organizations making the same model work at a variety of price points. Prizeo allows users to contribute as little as $10 and be entered to win incredible celebrity encounters (how great would a Caddy Shack-inspired round of golf with Bill Murray be?) benefiting worthy causes. For slightly larger donation amounts, entries come with a fun T-shirt or other gift-worthy swag. It's definitely a more interesting and purposeful contribution to your office gift exchange than a bunch of lottery tickets.

So, as you do your holiday shopping, keep in mind that charitable gifts don't have to be boring. Fun gifts can still be purposeful, and in 2015, it's not just better to give than receive -- it's better to GIVT than to gift.

Related: Avoid These 4 Business Gift-Giving Faux Pas

Coppy Holzman

Founder and CEO, Charitybuzz

Coppy Holzman is the founder and CEO of Charitybuzz, which has harnessed the power of cause marketing to help brands and nonprofits raise more than $100 million through online charity auctions. Prior to starting Charitybuzz, Holzman was one of the founder members of Webvan.com, one of the first online groccery-delivery services. Before that, Holzman spent many years as a senior executive in retail at Federated Department Stores. He holds a B.S. in economics from University of Pennsylvania.  

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

'Wildly Inappropriate': Woman Says She Was Denied a Job Because She Didn't Wear Makeup During the Interview

Melissa Weaver was applying for a VP of HR job at a tech company via video.

Business Solutions

Streamline In-House Developer Work with This $40 Program

Microsoft Visual Studio features tools to help programmers code faster and build complex projects across different languages and platforms.

Marketing

You'll Never Succeed in a Complex Market Unless You Try These Strategies

Complex industries offer opportunities in market needs, potential profitability and expansion opportunities — but the key to being successful is developing and supporting a clearly differentiated value proposition that separates your organization from potential competitors. Here's how to do it.

Thought Leaders

These Are the Five Attributes of Highly Successful and Happy People

If you'd like to be happier or more successful this year, then ask yourself if you're truly exuding these five attributes. The happiest and most successful people I know execute on these game-changers exceptionally well.

Side Hustle

I Started a Semi-Passive Side Hustle That Earns $33,000 a Week on Amazon: 'Selling There Is a No-Brainer'

Dr. Jenny Woo wanted to create a product that would help people connect, and it turned out to be a lucrative one.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.