THE POWER OF GIVING

Lots of big companies have these reward membership deals, Woolies and Coles, Priceline, Flybuys etc.  You save up your points for cheaper petrol, or a holiday, or a toaster that sings, etc.

Chemist Warehouse has just launched a rewards program too, but with a difference.

A percentage of your total purchases go towards a charity of your choice.

I know Ritches/IGA have always done this, but they don’t have a convenient outlet near me. 

I logged on to the Chemist Warehouse website and the charities they support are the Black Dog Institute, Kidney Health, Canteen, Children’s Hospital Foundations and the Asthma Foundation. 

You can change the ‘direction’ of your points allocation monthly, or donate to all.  You flash your card when you buy things.  You just have to decide to shop there (I know, and increase their profit margin too...)!

That started me thinking about GIVING

Wiki defines giving as ‘the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return’.

The buying of gifts for special occasions, either real (Birthdays or Anniversaries) or commercial (Christmas, Valentines, Mother/Fathers Day) is a tradition that can cause pleasure and sometimes degrees of anxiety.

Choosing the correct gift, let’s say, for a 50^th birthday can cause anxiety.  Do you get something they will like? how much do you spend? should it be personal or practical? etc, etc, etc. 

At least with wedding anniversary gifts there is a convention ‘guide’: the 25^th anniversary is silver etc. to help you with your choice. 

With gifts, my mother has repeatedly stated that she doesn’t want gifts for any celebration at all (but she always gives us one!).

Children spend hours at the mother’s day stall choosing the correct mug or golf ball decorated with hair to fit the budget they have....  ‘Do you like it????’

Don’t you love seeing people open a gift you have given them, and know by the look on their face that they appreciate it?

How do you feel when you leave a gift under the Kmart wishing tree at Christmas, knowing that you will have made some young child’s Christmas that little bit special.

You bake biscuits and cakes for gifts because you know everyone loves eating treats; instead of the convenience of shopping for the gift, the giving of your own time is the gift (which is why handmade cards are so appreciated).

Why do so many people donate to the Salvos or volunteer for non profit organisations?

In giving either a gift or yourself there is no expectation to receive something in return; however in reality you do, you feel it!