LOVE - A STORE WHERE YOU CAN BUY GIFTS FOR REFUGEES

I came across this and I had to share it. Not sure about you but as much as I love the holiday season, cuddling up on the sofa with my kids, whilst drinking hot chocolate and watching 'Home Alone' again, I also secretly dislike the overdose of gifts and wastage that goes on during this time of year, and the over spending of money on (pardon my French) shit, we don't actually need.

And yes, I realise I'm a bit of a grinch for saying this, I'm not trying to ruin anyone's Christmas, I do believe in 'to each their own' so do whatever you feel is right, but for me I've always felt that Christmas should be about giving to those in need, rather than accepting more and more 'things' AND that perhaps 'giving' has another meaning to it that is broader and more meaningful than well just giving "stuff".

So for one, I've asked my friends and family not to get me anything this year. I honestly don't NEED anything and I would much rather get rid of all the crap I have in anything so if anyone wants to come round and help me declutter, you are more than welcome.

Secondly, and now I'm gonna tell you about what you could also do this holiday season to help people who need some help - there is a pop-up store off Carnaby Street in central London called LOVE, which has been set up by the charity Help Refugees and and invites visitors to “shop their heart out, leave with nothing, and feel the love”.

In store, shoppers can buy a range of items for refugees, including sleeping bags, emergency blankets and solar lamps and shoppers can even pay to give a refugee family legal support, helping with family reunions and mental health care.

It is actually the second year this pop up store has been running and there is a similar store in New York in case you are across the pond and would like to look into it. Last year, the London store and its online equivalent raised £750,000, which helped provide refugees with 800,000 meals, 3,556 nights of accommodation, and 25,000 essential winter items for adults.

It's one of many charities and causes you can give towards this holiday season, and don't feel bad if you can't or you choose not to. No one should be guilted into giving, it really is a privilege to be able to do so and if t's not right, it's totally fine. But 'feeling the love' is really what it's all about and I wish I could teach my kids that, instead of having to give them another lego set they will fight over and lose all the pieces of before it's even January 1st.

Yeah, I've become a bit of a party pooper, I know, but I actually do miss the days when getting that one birthday gift was such an amazing event and when we didn't have so many things that just don't mean anything to us anymore. I won't lie, when I look at my own kids rip the rapping paper off their Christmas gifts and barely look at them before moving on to the next gift, I cringe. And part of this may be guilt (I like to be honest and just put it out there cos I know someone will point it out so here you go), but I also think that when there is a good cause at the end of whatever it is, be it guilt or something else, I don't actually care and I'm not going to let it stop me.

Neither should you.

So.... Shop till you drop if you like, but maybe also "feel the love" if you fancy - the wonderful thing about love is that it is rewarding all round and the more you give of it, the more you get.