Have you ever asked yourself what you can do to help a charity in the Christmas season, giving charity Christmas cards might be something that makes a difference.



Here is your Guide to Charity Christmas Cards.

Charity Christmas cards can be a bit of a maze. It can seem difficult to work out the best way to help your favourite charities.

But actually, it's quite simple?

There are 3 main places you can buy charity Christmas cards. Each works in a slightly different way:

?High Street? shops

These are the cards sold by High Street chains (like WH Smith, John Lewis or Boots), large High Street shops and some supermarkets. You can purchase cards from a range of charities. The charities, in effect, receive a donation from the sale of the cards. the charity pays nothing for the printing or distribution.

Charity shops

These are the cards sold in charity shops which also sell other items as well as cards. The cards will almost always be from just one charity - the one which runs the shop. The charity will have paid to have the cards printed and sent to the shop. They will also have to pay any applicable VAT.

Multi-charity card shops

These are the cards sold in temporary card shops, often in Churches, libraries or museums. to help a wide range of charitys this is probably the way to go as the shops sell from a number of different charitys. Cards for Good Causes (CFGC) sells cards on behalf of more than three hundred and twenty national and local charities from around three hundred and fifty outlets and gives back at least 81p in the ?1 to charities. In most CFGC shops at least 25 charities are represented.

The charities who sell their cards in multi-charity card shops will have paid to have the cards printed and sent to the shops. They will also have to pay any applicable VAT.

So what's the difference?

It is all about who pays for printing and distributing the cards. In multi-charity card shops and charity-owned card shops, the cards are paid for by the charities. They invest in printing and distributing their cards so that they will raise money from their sale.

It's different in a High Street shop. Generally ?High Street? cards are printed and produced by card publishers for the retailers ? NOT by the charities. the retailers sell them as they would anything else. After the publisher, or in some cases the retailer, makes a payment to the charity which is a straight donation and does not involve the charity in any costs.

So how much goes back to charity?

We can't comment on anyone else's cards, but once we have paid our operating costs, including our staff and for the premises we use, Cards for Good Causes gives back at least 81p in every ?1 from its card sales.

We are the UK's largest dedicated charity Christmas card organisation. Charities have received over ?5 million from their Christmas card sales last year. In the last five years charities have received over ?20 million from their card sales through Cards for Good Causes outlets.

Some card sellers might say that 100% of their profits go back to charity ? but remember, profit is what is left after they have paid all their operating costs; it is not the same as the whole price of the card.