Q. I now have 42 assorted nieces, nephews and godchildren.
Over the years I have put huge physical and mental effort into finding things to give them for Christmas which they do not already have. This has become increasingly difficult, since we are a large family and most likely toys have already been handed down (I do not approve of electronic games). Handing over cash seems somehow bleak, especially to children who do not even need it. What do you recommend, Mary?
Name and address withheld A. Why not give, in the name of each of your normal beneficiaries, ‘the Gift of Sight’ to a child in a developing county? Few people realise that of the 37 million blind people in the world, 75 per cent are unnecessarily so, and treatment costing £27 can save a child’s eyesight. You can bring about this good work through the Good Gifts organisation (www.goodgifts.org; tel: 020 7794 8000). The delivery of sight will be through Orbis, the international sight-saving charity. You can then distribute vouchers to each of your usual recipients announcing their charitable deed-by-proxy. The knowledge should give even the most immature among them far greater happiness than yet another material possession.
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