Friends fill our cups, and together we can help fill a stranger’s.
South Africa (25 November 2025) – A reader, Helen, wrote to us this week to share a story from her book club – or as they call themselves, Bookless Club – and it was too good not to share.
“Every month, a group of us women gather for what we lovingly call Bookless Club. We all adore books, but the truth is our meetings involve very little actual reading. Instead, once a month, one of us hosts a dinner, we share a few glasses of wine, and we talk—really talk—about life. Our children, our husbands, our jobs, our worries, our wins… it’s a soft landing in a hard world, and it’s something we all look forward to.” shares Helen.
Every year in November, the group takes their tradition out into the world for their annual ‘worst gift’ night. It always makes for the best fun.
“In previous years, the rules were simple: buy a gift for R50 to R100 from a charity shop—preferably the most dreadful one you can find. Think crocheted toilet seat covers, faded novelty mugs, or ornaments so questionable you can’t believe they ever existed.” she explains.
When the ladies meet for their annual unwrapping at their chosen restaurant, they bring the laughs along with them.
“Unwrapping these horrors at the table sends us—and everyone else in the restaurant—into fits of laughter. It is silly, it’s light-hearted, and for that one night of the year, it feels like we’ve stepped out of our worries and into a little bubble of pure joy.”
But this year, something shifted. They decided to do things differently and pay it forward instead.
“Instead of buying gifts for a laugh, we challenged ourselves to turn that same energy into something meaningful. So we swapped out the R50 charity-shop gifts and decided to support Pep’s Lay-By Buddy programme instead. You can contribute in-store or donate online, and every cent goes towards paying off a stranger’s lay-by.”
For Helen, the decision was obvious.
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“For me, education is deeply personal. I know how many parents are already stressing about next year—how they will afford school uniforms, stationery, lunchboxes, shoes, and all the little things that add up. So, when I made my donation, I chose to help pay off lay-bys for school clothes, imagining a parent walking in to pay their next instalment only to be told: ‘It’s already taken care of.’”
And that’s how the group turned a night of laughter into something bigger.
“That is the magic of paying it forward. It’s not just giving money. It’s a small miracle for someone who does not expect it. It’s easing a burden that someone may carry quietly. It is reminding a stranger that the world can be softer than it feels.”
Helen has posed a challenge for the rest of us.
“So, here’s my challenge: To other book clubs, wine clubs, coffee clubs, running groups, knitting circles—any community of people who gather, laugh, and support each other—join us. Pick a lay-by. Pay it off. Even just one.”
Sometimes a small group can start something big that makes a real difference.
“Giving someone their long-saved-for items early is not just generous. It’s transformative. It’s a gesture that can ripple through someone’s life in ways you may never see. And honestly? It feels better than any joke gift ever could.”
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