In Liguria and Italy, the Christmas period is the one in which most donations are concentrated and many non-profit organizations collect most of their offers around this time.
Many are the events, fundraisers and sales concentrated in this period to raise funds for a good cause.
In the weeks preceding Christmas many volunteering associations prepare and sell their calendars and other own merchandise to get funds, counting on the facts that people feel a bit nicer, and a bit richer, this period of the year. Richer too because, at least in Italy, full-time permanent workers receive an end of the year bonus called tredicesima (literally ‘thirteenth) equal to another month of salary. Government employees are even luckier as they received also a quattordicesima (literally ‘fourteenth’) and therefore they received three months worth of salary with one paycheck in December.
It is believed that most Italians spend this money on Christmas gifts and therefore also on donations to their associations of choice.
Also professional sectors such as paramedics and firefighters organize such fundraisers in the most diverse ways.
Firefighters for instance organize an event in which children under the age of ten can try to ‘train’ to become one of them.
Firemen calendar for a donation
The firefighter training paths are designed to give the little participants, in complete safety, a new vision of the possible obstacles that a fireman may encounter during a rescue operation.
It is a fun way for children to learn how to climb ladders, cross bridges and break down walls and ultimately how to put out a fire.
The event is organized by the local firemen department and managed by retired firemen.
It travels to several locations around the Genoa province and raises money to self fund through the sale of calendars, merchandise and issuing ‘little firemen diplomas.’
The calendar shows photos of drawings made by school age children representing the world of firefighters.
Fireman ‘training’ for kids
All Christmas markets in Genoa and its province, normally held during the weekends leading to Christmas, have a special section for associations and fundraisers.
You can - unfortunately for the reason why they are there - find the stalls of many public schools which, not receiving enough funds from the government, try to raise money for basic school supplies such as chalk, crayons, markers and toilet paper. These stalls are usually run by parents of children attending these schools and they normally sell second hand toys, trinkets and perhaps some Christmas ornaments handmade by the children themselves.
It is common to see stalls with local animal associations such as the local cat and dog shelter too.
These stalls normally collect anything that can be useful for the homeless animals such as blankets, food and bedding. They normally try to promote adoptions around this time ,and they also sell calendars and gift boxes to raise funds.
In my family, it is a tradition to visit the Christmas markets around this time and buy something to support local animal associations but the choice is various.
There are also associations supporting religious and spiritual groups, supporting the local homeless shelters and others for the protection of local wildlife and the environment.
It is a way to find unique and creative gifts to give someone and help a cause at the same time.
It is normally the gift of choice from parents to teachers too and every year we choose a different association to help to get a small present for the teachers at school.
A beautiful gift box to help the local animal shelter
