The holiday season is the time to add a bit of the Midas touch to our outfits, so this December, go for gold.

Shoes always make the outfit, so we are starting with these glitter gold Miu Miu pumps, $630 from Net A Porter which will perfectly match No. 21’s sequined satin trousers, $886 from Luisa Via Roma.

If you haven’t had enough sequins yet, throw on this Banana Republic tank, $62, underneath this gold bolero from Anthropologie ($118.) The look can be accessorized with a gold purse ($69.50) and link bracelet ($144) both from J Crew, and Joe Fresh’s glitter belt ($8.) Complete the outfit with a coat of Deborah Lipmann Shake Your Groove Thing gold sparkly nailpolish ($22) and a touch of NARS’ Etrusque eyeshadow ($26 from The Bay.)

Even if you end up head to toe in glitter and gold, you’ll be way less tacky than a Christmas sweater. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

The holiday season is the season of giving.

And not giving up.

Vancouver's Ethical Bean has your time-strapped, guilt-ridden self in mind with this holiday deal.

Buy a pound of their fair trade, organic coffee in December (from $14) and Ethical Bean will donate a dollar to Child-Aid, a non-profit organization that helps send children to school in Latin America.

So now unfortunate children are going to school, you feel like a million bucks, and you'veg ot the perfect hostess gift for Christmas breakfast or Boxing Day brunch.

Giving doesn't get much better than that.

Last year's fundraising efforts purchased books, tuition and uniforms for seven Guatemalan children. This year, Ethical Bean aims to school 25 children. A year's education costs just US$100.

Learn more at www.ethicalbean.com and www.child-aid.org

Purchase Ethical Beancoffee online at Small Potatoes Urban Delivery www.spud.ca and Stongs www.stongs.com

Also available atChoices Market. View store locations at www.choicesmarket.com