Twixtmas: time for ‘binge doing for charity’
Howard Lake | 5 November 2010 | News
This year’s Twixtmas campaign is underway, aiming to make the world a better place using the five days of ‘Twixtmas’, the days between Christmas and New Year.
The not-for-profit campaign is aiming to encourage everyone to make the most of the opportunity to take small practical actions to make the world better in some way.
Instead of binge shopping, or binge drinking, the campaign is trying to encourage ‘binge doing’ and overcome the problem of ‘time poverty’ – where people perceive they do not have enough time to do things for themselves or others.
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The campaign web site www.twixtmas.com offers practical advice and inspiration to encourage everyone to make the most of this under-used opportunity. The site also provides a free facility for sending a Twixtmas e-greeting card, and you can also download a Twixtmas pledge form.
The idea was originally conceived by social enterprise the Flexible Thinking Forum, as a simple way of creating social good by thinking differently about the period between the two public holidays of Christmas and New Year, and make use of untapped resource, energy, and opportunities.
“Imagine if most people did five things during Twixtmas to make the world a better place. Would it be great if you did some small thing to help make this happen?” said Andy Green of the Flexible Thinking Forum.
To help people get the most of period the campaign has themed each of the five days with a focus;
- Day 1 is about spoiling yourself and thinking more positively about you.
- Day 2 is do something for someone else, ideally a stranger – help a neighbour or good cause
- Day 3 is help a friend
- Day 4 is doing something for the planet
- Day 5 is do something for your future
- Public urged to do five good things at Twixtmas (28 November 2011)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.