The holiday gift-giving guide

By Allan Britnell, Editor-in-Chief, News Canada

(NC) The holidays are a time of giving, usually in the form of gifts. This year, we’ve got you covered for gift ideas for everyone from the techie in your life to ways you can make meaningful donations to help those less fortunate. And if you’re navigating holiday deals, we also have tips to ensure you get the promised value.

Disrupt hunger with school meals
Every year 45 million children suffer from malnutrition and every 10 seconds a child loses their life. Malnutrition can also disrupt focus in the classroom and impede learning. But by supporting meaningful gifts that give back, like purchasing school meals for a child in need through an organization like Children Believe in their Gifts for Good Catalogue, you can help provide for needs in communities where school meals are lacking. It’s a small act that empowers children to thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.

childrenbelieve.ca

Give an AI-powered laptop
For the techie who needs a powerful computing device, an AI-powered laptop is a game-changer. AI PCs, such as those from Intel, use artificial intelligence to make your computer smarter and more efficient, learning from your usage patterns to provide a more personalized experience. With advanced processing power and extended battery life, these computers’ AI capabilities can optimize performance, enhance security and even assist with creative tasks like photo and video editing.

intel.com/aipc

A curated photo album
We’re able to take photos of family, friends, holidays and other events more easily than ever. But once we snap pictures on our phone, they tend to get lost in the ether. Make those memories last by compiling them into a photo album. With a printer, such as the HP Envy 6100 series, you can seamlessly print professional-quality images at home from your phone or laptop using an app.

hp.ca

Choose gifts that matter
People often choose predictable gifts, assuming they’re safe bets. Recipients, however, tend to value gifts with emotional significance. Consider giving a life-changing gift that harvests hope for families. Alpacas purchased through World Vision Canada, for example, offer families a sustainable income source through their valuable fleece, which is used to create products like clothing to sell in local markets.

worldvision.ca/animals

Make sure your deal stands up
If a phone, internet or TV service provider doesn’t live up to their promises during or after a sale, you should know that you can turn to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS). The organization offers a free and impartial complaint resolution service for issues with telecom and TV services in Canada, such as the charges not matching an agreement or the service not performing as promised. The CCTS also has the authority to make providers fix the problem when they haven’t followed industry rules.

letstalksolutions.ca