This past Monday, I spent “An Evening with UNICEF,” previewing their 2012 holiday gifts and taking a look at the life saving work they are doing across the world. What I think is most admirable about the UNICEF Holiday Collection is that not only can you buy hand crafted items (such as the Nepalese wool stockings and a mango wood bowl and servers, top left) with the proceeds helping to save childrens’ lives, but you can also purchase entire school kits (bottom left), HIV test kits, Malaria bed nets, and many other live-saving entities (top right) for children in third world countries. In 2005, Ikea established a partnership with UNICEF, utilizing their worldwide brand to advocate and campaign for the cause. The holiday time is particularly vital because Ikea sells plush toys that, with the purchase of each, €1 (a little over $1) is donated to UNICEF. As a self proclaimed foodie, my three favorites were the broccoli, carrot and strawberry toys (middle left). Find more information on UNICEF and the Holiday Gift Collection here. —Lauren Katz, Online Intern

This past Monday, I spent “An Evening with UNICEF,” previewing their 2012 holiday gifts and taking a look at the life saving work they are doing across the world. What I think is most admirable about the UNICEF Holiday Collection is that not only can you buy hand crafted items (such as the Nepalese wool stockings and a mango wood bowl and servers, top left) with the proceeds helping to save childrens’ lives, but you can also purchase entire school kits (bottom left), HIV test kits, Malaria bed nets, and many other live-saving entities (top right) for children in third world countries.

In 2005, Ikea established a partnership with UNICEF, utilizing their worldwide brand to advocate and campaign for the cause. The holiday time is particularly vital because Ikea sells plush toys that, with the purchase of each, €1 (a little over $1) is donated to UNICEF. As a self proclaimed foodie, my three favorites were the broccoli, carrot and strawberry toys (middle left).

Find more information on UNICEF and the Holiday Gift Collection here.

—Lauren Katz, Online Intern

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