This year, I’ve been shopping for Christmas gifts in the online stores of national charities. It’s the first time I’ve focused my Christmas shopping efforts on charity shops. I wish I’d tried it sooner.

While their product ranges aren’t as extensive as Amazon’s, they do give the impression of being thoughtfully curated selections. And because buying from these shops sends money to good causes, it adds a layer of meaning to the gifts.

The photo below shows a detail from a unisex Christmas jumper sold by the RNLI. In its 202 years of existence, the RNLI has saved many thousands of lives in the seas around Britain and Ireland.

I like the combination of maritime elements and Christmassy snowflakes.

The two bags in the photo below come from the Red Cross’s online shop. The shoulder bag comes from Nepal and is made of recycled sari material. The tote bag was made from fabric offcuts in Ghana.

I also bought a package of red fabric squares from the Red Cross. They’ve been upcycled in England from donated clothes that weren’t suitable to be sold as garments. If you know someone who likes sewing, it’s worth telling them that the Red Cross sells a whole range of colours.

I usually find gift shopping quite stressful at Christmas because it’s a lot all at once. Browsing through charities’ online stores has made the experience far nicer.