It's that time of year again, when we spread ourselves thin with the busyness of Christmas. We splurge on clothes, social outings, gifts, food, wine and more. We exhaust both our wallets and energy and sometimes we complain about the stress of it all.

But really we're the lucky ones. The ones who can afford such luxuries, the ones who have the means to travel, to enjoy good food and company and even buy that special something for ourselves, whether it be an outfit, perfume, a massage or something better.

But Christmas is about so much more. It's about truly giving, not just to ourselves and those we know, but to those in NEED. To those we might pass in the street every day and not realise their plight with poverty or abuse, to those not living with their loved ones, to those in hospitals, to those with no shelter, to those in third world countries, to those with no jobs, to those who've lost everything in natural disasters. They're all every day people like you and I with one big difference - they are the ones who are really in NEED.

And there is no better gift to give, than the one we present to someone in real need.

It's easy to reach out in some small way to make a difference to the lives of others at Christmas.

Here are just a few great ways to make someone else's Christmas memorable.

The K-Mart Wishing tree:
http://wishingtree.kmart.com.au/

Kids in Care Christmas Appeal
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/10/23/4113320.htm

B105 Christmas Appeal
http://www.b105.com.au/win/b105-christmas-appeal/

Wesley Mission Christmas Appeal
http://www.wmb.org.au/news-events/news/christmas-appeal

Unicef Charity Gifts
http://www.unicef.org.au/charity-gifts/christmas-charity-gifts.aspx

GIVIT Local Charity
http://www.givit.org.au/urgently-needed-list

It's easy to search online for more charitable options so get onto google and find something that resonates with you.

Enjoy the gift of giving this year with the knowledge that you are lighting up another person's life, for one special day!