Charity Christmas campaigns, events and charity gifts

Lots of charities are running a Christmas campaign. Be it an event such as carol singing, a dinner, a fun run, a Christmas fair or a ball.

Alternatively you can help them by buying a charity gift for someone this year, such as adopting an animal or bird.

For example, Operation Christmas Child collects shoe boxes for children abroad each year and The Salvation Army are asking people to donate gifts for children aged 0-16 for their Christmas Present Appeal 2008.

Christian Aid is running a Christmas Appeal and also has a list of events across the UK.

WWF are holding a Christmas raffle for the spectacled bear.

Marie Curie Cancer Care is holding many Christmas events, from bazaars and fayres to walks and lunches.

Crisis is looking for volunteers to run their Christmas centres.

As an alternative Christmas present, you can adopt a Cairngorm reindeer, adopt a species with the Devon Wildlife Trust, adopt a project with Diabetes UK, adopt an animal with the WWF or adopt a nest box for the Hawk and Owl Trust.

Don't forget to recycle your Christmas cards and wrapping paper. The more cards that are recycled, the more trees The Woodland Trust can plant.

Many charities work extra hard at Christmas and especially this year when they are suffering in the credit crunch; please make sure you add something to your Christmas list for them.