The holidays aren’t necessarily the happiest time of year for people around the globe.

World Vision is thanking the 11 Invermerians who donated $1,400 worth of gifts to its humanitarian cause in developing countries this winter.

“The Gift Catalogue is a really fun way Canadians like to bring charity into their holiday celebrations, to make them more meaningful,” said Genevieve Barber, World Vision gift catalogue spokesperson. “By choosing a tangible donation you give as a gift — things like clean water, valuable livestock and education options — you help a family in the developing world, and share the change being made with the big-hearted person on your gift list. Because the donations are so tangible, you and the person receiving it as a gift, immediately know the impact that this gift is having.”

The Evangelical Christian humanitarian aid, development and advocacy organization recently announced that over 8,000 residents from B.C. contributed essential items from the World Vision Gift Catalogue — tangible donations for children and families in developing countries like livestock, clean water, access to education and medical supplies — to celebrate the holiday season this year.

Previously, British Columbians have purchased more than 8,800 essential items from the World Vision Gift Catalogue to help others during the holidays last year.

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos Reid in October 2015, investigates Canadians attitudes towards charitable gift giving and reveals that holiday giving can pay off. They found that 79 per cent of people from B.C. prefer to give a gift that helps someone in need. The survey revealed that a belief in the spirit of giving to support the needy is an attitude that B.C.’s deeply supports rather than following a consumerist shopping agenda to buy clothes and electronics.

World Vision encourages people to make a donation in someone’s name and give them a gift over the holidays this season to mark the start of a new tradition for the big-hearted person on your gift list. For more information, visit www.worldvisiongiftsnews.ca.