Want to make a real difference in someone's life this holiday? Give one of these thoughtful gifts that help someone in need. You'll warm the heart of the person on your list and make the world a better place for someone else.

Personalized holiday greeting cards, $2 to $3.50 each, makeawish.ca.
Get in the spirit of giving with these cards from Make-A-Wish Canada that spread holiday cheer while making it possible for sick children's wishes to come true. Each card features a beautiful holiday scene created by a Canadian artist. When you order, you can customize your greeting and even add a business logo. Proceeds go to Make-A-Wish, an organization that creates magical memories for kids with life-threatening conditions. 



Me to We Artisans Ghanaian Brass Halo Necklace in Teal, $32, shop.metowe.com.
Made with Ghanaian glass beads on a brass chain, this necklace is both beautiful and charitable. Each of the pieces from this Me to We collection is handcrafted by a woman in Kenya who earns a fair wage for her work, plus an extra donation goes to a community overseas. And when you buy this necklace, a woman gains access to a pre-natal workshop, which provides the tools mothers need to give their children a healthy start.



Sickkids Holiday Meal for a Family, $45, getbettergifts.ca.
Something as simple as a family meal can be priceless to a family with a sick child. Toronto's Sickkids Hospital offers this gift—a meal spent away from a hospital bed—for families who need a break from the daily routines and diagnoses of hospital life. Give this to a long-distance family member you wish you could share a meal with this Christmas and their heart will be warmed all year.


Buffalo Check Knit Throw, $30, available in store at HomeSense.
This casual, cozy throw blanket will look perfect draped on a comfy chair in front of the hearth. And as part of Homesense's Shop for Hope collection, it's both warming and heartwarming, as all net proceeds benefit the Canadian Women's Foundation.



Animal adoption, starting at $40, wwf.ca.
Your favourite animal lover will be delighted to unwrap this little plush toy that shows you have symbolically adopted an animal in their honour. The long-running World Wildlife Foundation program helps to protect at-risk species. Each adoption comes with a stuffed animal, a certificate of adoption, information about the species and a tax receipt for the giver.



Wishbone Cufflinks, $248, studio1098customjewellery.com.
These sterling silver wishbone cufflinks help support HIV and AIDS research in Canada, with a significant portion of proceeds going to CANFAR. A Toronto-based jewelry designer created these cufflinks, as well as a selection of necklaces with the wishbone design. They make for a generous gift that is both elegant and benevolent.



Starlight Bear, $20, toysrus.ca.
Perfect for the little one in your life, this teddy bear has extra comforting power because he was designed to fund the Starlight Children's Foundation's in and out of hospital programs, which help sick children in Canada. All proceeds go to the Foundation, but the teddy bear hugs stay with the kids.

Want more ways to give back? Read about great ways to volunteer over the holidays.