We need to start a holiday giving revolution that is more about impact and sustainability. During the busy Christmas season, it is so easy to get drawn into the consumption frenzy and forget what's really important -- the world, the planet, our local communities need our support: According to the UN, "less than 3 percent of the Earth's water is drinkable, one in nine people in the world today are undernourished and some 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills." And, as the CBC recently highlighted, "Food bank use in Canada is on the rise, and some provinces and territories have seen "drastic" surges in use since last year, a new report says. In March 2016, 863,492 people received food from a food bank in Canada, up 1.3 per cent from the same time last year, and 28 per cent from March 2008, according to the Hunger Count 2016 report from Food Banks Canada.

Here are a mix of cool ideas to have a more ethical, sustainable and impactful holiday season:

1. Check out the cool ideas here to "make this holiday an ethical, sustainable and extra special one".
2. Here's another list of sustainable ways to enjoy the holidays.
3. If you want to get more "radical", check out the no gifts #GoGiftless campaign here.
4. And here's another list of ideas about "gifts that give back"
5. You can also check out Me to We Artisans and giving through crowdfunding options like Global Giving.
6. Or maybe you want to give by taking action. See some great local short-term volunteering ideas for Vancouver here.

If you want to support social and environmental impact student projects at Mulgrave, you could consider the following great initiatives, in many cases tied to Grade 10 Personal Projects:

1. Support Syrian refugees through Anna E's upcoming 360 campaign in 2017. Find out more from her about how you could support a Syrian refugee family in Vancouver or refugee education abroad. Contact edmondsa@mulgrave.com for details.
2. Support the conservation of elephants in Kenya through Marla R's G10 awareness and bracelet campaign, highlighted in Mulgrave Connexions. Contact Marla for details at rinckm@mulgrave.com.
3. Support Ethan L's G10 creative social entrepreneurial project called "Dryft" in which he creates word products from recycled wood to help the Stanley Park Conservation Society. Check out his site here where you can order his really cool hand crafted products. Ethan will also be highlighted soon in Connextions.

Participate in our final "Red and Green" and "Ugly Christmas Sweater" civvies day and donate $2 or more to help Josie V G8 support Peace Meal, an interfaith, inter-cultural, inter-generational project founded in 2005 by "a group of Muslims and Jews who decided they wanted to work together to make a better world". The focus is to help feed those in need in Vancouver's downtown eastside.

There are so many things you can do to "change the way you do Christmas". Check out future stories of SoGo - "SocialGood Happenings at Mulgrave and beyond - to find out ways you can support Mulgrave youth making a difference!