Alternative Wedding Gifts

Couples can create their own registry that describes the causes they support.

Gift-giving is intended as a means of celebration, so why does shopping often feel like a chore? This act of generosity often gets bogged down by expectations, guess-work and price tags. Thankfully, there is an alternative solution and you don't even have to go searching very far. Changing The Present is a nonprofit website that serves as a resource for socially responsible gifts. Their site allows individuals to search for a meaningful cause of their choice and allows them to make a donation on another's behalf. Shoppers can browse an online catalogue for a gift that is sure to make a real difference in the world, leaving both the giver and the receiver feeling satisfied. Whether a contribution is made towards women's rights, world health or any other cause, it redefines the sense of purpose that comes with gift-giving.

Changing The Present provides an assortment of causes, allowing donators to choose a gift that best compliments the personality or interests of whomever they are donating on the behalf of. Additionally, the site's registry application allows recipients to request selfless gifts. A popular example is the wedding registry, in which over 130 couples have signed up to participate. A couple can compile an online list of causes towards which they wish friends to donate, in place of or in addition to the purchase of more traditional gifts, such as household appliances. Jill Golden, spokesperson of Changing The Present, explains, "If you're lucky enough to find somebody that you love enough to marry and excited enough to start a whole new life together, it can be a really exciting thing to celebrate your love by making the world a better place. It just builds in this whole level of sharing and community and it's a real opportunity to express your passions and your concerns. It can be a kind of powerful thing to do."

Under the tag for each item/cause, the couple may write a brief explanation for their choice. Say the bride-to-be has a passion for an endangered animal, then she can share this personal detail with friends and family who are browsing the registry, inspiring them to support something of true value. Golden says, "Apparently, it's a really interesting process for couples to go through and choose gifts together, because they learn about each other in a way that they may never have had the opportunity to discuss before."

Not only is the process easy, but the customary wedding gift is transformed into something completely productive and far-reaching. "It [also] gets a very positive response from wedding guests," adds Golden. "It's a pretty cool thing to get to go to a wedding and then get to make a contribution to something you and the couple really care about at the same time. So, it's one day of celebrating...that can also have sort of a ripple effect in the world."

Extending the theme of giving, couples can order their wedding favors on the site. For instance, a pair of socks for each guest may be donated to a homeless shelter on behalf of the newlyweds. "[These are] heartwarming little gifts that you can give to everyone to thank them for sharing the day and traveling," says Golden. Creating a wedding registry on Changing The Present is a beautiful option; it is hard to imagine a more fulfilling way to make your debut as a newlywed couple.

Changing The Present