Last year, Manchester Arndale participated in a fascinating charity event: The Empty Shop. The concept, as covered in our sister publication Tactics Magazine, is simple: it’s a shop that begins each day empty, and fills up only with the help of donations from shoppers.

Last year’s event was a huge success, bringing in over 2 metric tons of clothing and winning Gold at the BCSC’s Purple Apple Marketing Awards.

So it’s no surprise that the center is bringing it back for the new year. Starting tomorrow and continuing for ten days, the Empty Shop will be available for shoppers to deliver their pre-loved clothes. It’s become something of a media event, with designers, stylists and fashion bloggers transforming the store with seasonal looks put together from the donated items.

The charitable results are tallied at the end of each day. First, the shop is cleared out by homelessness charity The Mustard Tree. They take some of the pieces to sell in their charity stores to raise money for programs that help local homeless individuals. Many are donated directly to people in need.

Adrian Nottingham, CEO of Mustard Tree said, “Mustard Tree is delighted to be participating in this innovative project. We are proud that Manchester is taking a lead in seeking to broker practical solutions and raise awareness of the plight of the increasing number of its residents facing homelessness and marginalization.”

While speaking to Manchester Evening News, Helen Seed, the center’s PR and social media manager, revealed that there’s a plan in place to raise even more money for the cause at this year’s event:

“One thing different about this year is the drive to get as much cash as possible for the designer donations. Corrie’s Brooke Vincent has thrown her support behind the event again, while Phil and Julie Neville have pulled out some garments from their own wardrobes.

‘In the Mustard Tree store in Eccles, items are sold at a lower cost to support its clients,’ says Helen, ‘so to raise a bit more money for the charity the newer and branded items will be sold at a sale in mid-February at the new Cafe Ziferblat, on Edge Street in the northern quarter.’

‘We are definitely hoping to get more big brands and businesses involved, too. We’ve approached brands around Manchester and obviously in the shopping centre for ex-display or sales items which will otherwise be going to waste.'”

Check out a breakdown of the original Empty Shop concept here:

Tanger Outlet Center finished off 2014 on a good note as it joined LRGHealthcare representatives to celebrate the success of October’s PinkStyle Program and the 6th Annual Tanger Fit for a Cure 5K.

Together, the events raised a total of $26,467.84. That money will go to benefit breast cancer initiatives and imaging technology at LRG Healthcare.

An added gesture of generosity during this season of giving, Tanger also reached out to LRGH Oncology staff last week asking them to identify two patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer who could use a little uplifting this year. General Manager Eric Proulx gifted each patient a generous Christmas Shopping Spree at the Tanger Outlet Centers in Tilton.

Pictured (L to R): Cass Walker, LRGHealthcare Vice President of Administrative and Support Services; Marge Kerns, LRGHealthcare Vice President of Clinical Services; Cyndee Chapin, LRGHealthcare Director of Medical Imaging; Leo Goddu, LRGHealthcare Vice President of Ancillary and Facility Services; Eric Proulx, General Manager of Tanger Outlet Center-Tilton; Carolyn Gaudet of AutoServ Dealerships (Presenting Sponsor of the Tanger Fit for a Cure 5K); and Sandy Marshall, LRGHealthcare Director of Philanthropy, PR/Marketing, & Volunteer Services.

Everyone’s waiting with bated breath to see how holiday sales pan out this year, and while Black Friday went well, there’s still a month left to worry about. There’s one thing that’s easy to call even without the numbers, though: gift cards are going to sell like crazy. Are you doing anything special to drive that this year?

Chatswood Chase hopes to make a big difference with its gift card sales, one that will reach locals across the spectrum. For every gift card the center sells, one of five charities will benefit: the RSPCA, Breast Cancer’s Pink Ribbon Foundation, Lifeline, Camp Quality and Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Shoppers get to choose where the percentage will end up, and they’re given ribbons to match. Those ribbons are meant for the Chatswood Chase Charity Tree, which will serve as a tangible reminder of all the good that shoppers are doing. And if colors are poorly represented, surely some shoppers will step up for the underdogs.

Picking a team is one thing, but this year shoppers will have a chance to keep cheering them on—even at home. Each week, a virtual tree on the center’s website will be updated with all the ribbons of its physical counterpart, so shoppers can see just how well the tree (and its good work) is flourishing.

If there’s one thing that can be relied on during the Christmas season, it’s that Westfield London will launch it in a big way. 2012 hasn’t disappointed: the center brought Taylor Swift out for light switch-on.

By all reports, the place was packed: over 10,000 shoppers showed up to celebrate. Once Taylor was introduced on-stage by Capital radio presenter Rich Clarke, she was joined by Young Ambassadors from Save the Children, the center’s charity partner for the season. They helped lead the countdown, and then the Christmas season officially began with an explosion of snow, confetti and pyrotechnic lasers.

With the evening fully underway, Swift performed three songs: “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” “Love Story,” and her newest hit “Red.”

“The lights switch-on event is always special occasion and this year was no exception. Our shoppers were delighted to have the opportunity to see a global super-star perform for free in the centre and fans showed up in their masses to support both Taylor Swift and Westfield,” said Myf Ryan, Westfield’s General Manager, Marketing UK.

“Having Taylor switch on the 2012 Christmas lights was a great start to a series of festive activities, including lots of fundraising intitiatives for Save the Children, we will be holding across both Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City in the run-up to Christmas.”

Sometimes it seems like everything leads up to Christmas, but you know what’s just a tiny bit past that? 2013. You feeling ready?

Telford Shopping Centre is just about there: it’s just finalized the images for its 2013 Calendar. It asked shoppers to take their best photos for a photography competition, pulling in over 400 entries. With the help of experts from the Shropshire Star, the center narrowed that down to 24 great shots, which were then put up for vote for shoppers and newspaper readers.

You can take a look at the excellent (and varied) collection of images shoppers had to choose from—everything from closeups of flowers to one very impressive dog.

The calendar goes on sale this month, so shoppers will have plenty of time to pick it up before the turning of the year. All proceeds go to support the Telford Street Pastor’s charity, which offers support to local young people.