Guilt-free gifts

How to capture the true spirit of the season (and earn karma points)

by Amy Elkes

Everyone knows that 'tis better to give than to receive -- so why not get the most bang for your buck by buying gifts that give and give again? When you give a present that benefits a charity, more people appreciate it than just the recipient -- and you spend your holiday season racking up good karma. It's nice not to worry that your next life might be spent in fear of rolled-up newspapers and Raid. Here are some suggestions to start you on the path to Nirvana:

A Prima Doll. Seven years ago, a group of friends in Natick decided to do something to help children -- a common enough impulse. The result of their collaboration, however, is anything but common. The Prima Doll is a tiny work of art, entirely handmade from materials donated by Macy's, Filene's, and others. Each fuzzy-headed creation wears a unique outfit and sports a tiny red AIDS-awareness ribbon. All the money from sales of Prima Dolls goes directly to the Children's AIDS Program (CAP House), a home for HIV-infected children under the age of six. Though she recently spent 16 hours knitting a single pair of doll pants, Prima Doll group member Jane Sherman has no complaints. "It's a gift that everybody benefits from," she says. "You help people. It's a wonderful feeling." Prima Dolls cost $25 each, and Prima Frogs cost $5 each. Find them by calling Sara Cummerford or Karen Lewis at the CAP House, (617) 534-2050.

Upscale resale from the Discovery Shop. Almost too good to be true, the Discovery Shop offers an impressive selection of chic clothing and housewares, both new and used, at extremely reasonable prices. It would be any bargain hunter's thrill to snag an almost-new leather love seat for $450 or a designer sweater for $30. Yet philanthropic yearnings will also be satisfied when you leave with overstuffed shopping bags, because 100 percent of the profits from the Discovery Shop go to the American Cancer Society for breast-cancer research and treatment. Look for jewelry, stationery, antique furniture, shoes from the likes of Joan and David, picture frames, and swizzle-stick sets topped with tiny replicas of Greek and Roman sculptures. The Discovery Shop has two Massachusetts locations: 308 Walnut Street, Newtonville, (617) 969-8882; and 300 Washington Street, Brookline Village, (617) 277-9499.

Membership in the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Everyone knows someone who loves to snowshoe, right? This is New England, after all. And even if none of your friends is fond of roughing it in subzero temperatures, one of them is bound to appreciate the changing colors of fall foliage or the joys of a trailside picnic in summertime. A membership in the Mass Audubon Society delivers all of the above. For $37, you can buy someone a one-year membership that includes a 50-page guide to all 37 Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries, free admission to the sites, and a year's subscription to Sanctuary magazine. For the snowshoe-wearing/picnic-eating/foliage-gazing friend who receives this present, the knowledge that it will help protect more than 28,000 acres of land throughout Massachusetts may be gift enough. For more information, call (800) AUDUBON, or log on to http://www.audubon.org.

Audiobooks that help the blind. So many books, so little time. But what if you could read a book while, say, driving to work or cooking dinner? That's why books on tape are the perfect gift for that oh-so-busy intellectual in your life. And the Audiobooks -- Proceeds to Charity Web site (http://www.members.home.net/askew/bookstore.htm) has everything from classics to current bestsellers. Simply pick out the books you want, and Amazon.com will process your order and send it to you or the recipient of your choice. Audiobooks -- Proceeds to Charity, an organization that raises money for charities dedicated to fighting blindness, will then receive a referral fee from Amazon.com of up to 15 percent of the book's price. Teach those intellectuals to take advantage of their tape decks.

Anything and everything from WebCharity.com. What could be simpler? Shop for every person on your list in the comfort of your own home, choosing from thousands of possible items that benefit any of hundreds of charities. WebCharity.com auctions items ranging from old magazines to first-class vacations for two. The proceeds go to more than 600 charities. To make shopping even easier, all items are listed by category and charity. For example, you could shop for "women's clothing," or you could look under "Child Care Action Campaign" for all the items whose proceeds will be donated to that particular charity. Every taste, every budget, every conscience can find an appropriate match at WebCharity.com. To see for yourself, log on to http://www.webcharity.com.

A Viva Noel CD. Just released by Q Division records, this perfect gift for the true Bostonian features classic and almost-classic Christmas tunes performed by Boston-based musicians. Who would have imagined the Sheila Divine performing "O Holy Night"? Although the 15 artists on this album have little more in common than a familiarity with the back room of T.T. the Bear's, all were eager to be a part of the project. "It was surprising. We couldn't pay anyone to do it, so everybody volunteered their time and jumped at the chance," says Jessica Smyser, label manager at Q Division. The proceeds from Viva Noel will be donated to the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund, established in memory of the late Morphine frontman, which provides Boston and Cambridge schoolchildren with musical education through grants, mentor programs, and lessons. Viva Noel is available at Tower Records, Newbury Comics, and many small, independent music stores throughout Boston.

One-of-a-kind items from the Women's Educational and Industrial Union. Walking into the Women's Educational and Industrial Union is like stepping into a shopper's paradise. Sparkling white lights are draped liberally over banisters and walls, Frank Sinatra croons softly from the speaker system, and there is more eye candy than even the most experienced shopper can take in at once. Everything sold here -- from the funky dresses to the chocolate to the children's toys -- is made by women or comes from woman-owned businesses. After these suppliers and the store staff are paid, the remaining profits are donated to organizations that help victims of domestic violence, provide home health care for the elderly, and advocate for the elderly and for victims of domestic abuse. As for the dizzying array of items for sale, executive director Mary Lassen says, "We think about different aspects of women's lives and try to reflect that in what we carry in the store." You will not be disappointed. The store is located at 356 Boylston Street. If you are interested in volunteering there during the holiday shopping season, call (617) 536-5651.

Environmentally friendly goodies from Seventh Generation. "In our every deliberation, we should consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations," states the old Iroquois adage from which this company takes its name. Every item sold by Seventh Generation is made in accordance with this environmental philosophy. Though it is most famous for its household cleaning products, the company has much more to offer: clothing and baby blankets made from organic cotton, all-natural soaps and creams, natural foods, and even housewares. If you have a loved one who always refuses the meat at Christmas dinner and requests that his or her gifts remain unwrapped in order to save paper, this is the place for you. To see a list of all Seventh Generation products, as well as an explanation of the company's mission, log on to http://www.seventhgen.com, or call (888) 59-EARTH for a catalogue.