It has been observed that there is, perhaps, no occasion less appropriate for gift-giving than Christmas. But it is possible to have it both ways: At the Alternative Gifts Market, shoppers can give the gift of charity by donating to a variety of worthy causes in the names of those on their lists. Among the goods and services represented at this year’s market are medical equipment for Bosnia, shelter for American battered women and their children, and goats, donkeys, and mules for impoverished Haitian farmers. Find an alternative to fruitcake and bath salts from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave. NW. (703) 761-0644. (Nicole Arthur)