Thinking Outside the (Gift) Box

Tis the season …already. Not even Halloween yet and the mail order catalogs are stacking up, magazines are thick with ads for jewelry, furs, cars and all manner of excessiveness. Which made me think about alternatives to the mad consumerism that’s taken over the holiday season.

After all, compared to most everyone else in the world, we are a nation of Donald Trumps. Look at the lives of everyday people in any third world country, and you’ll feel like Paris Hilton. So this year, instead of squandering your hard-earned money on useless junk, why not give at least some gifts that improve a life? A couple of possibilities:

PlanUSA

Plan is a nonprofit, global partnership founded in 1937 to bring hope and help to the world’s poorest children. Since then the group has provided assistance to more than 10 million children and their families in poor communities around the world, giving them educational opportunities, clean water and so much more that we take for granted. Sponsoring a child can change a life and costs about as much per month as a nice dinner (for one person!) in this country. Learn more at: http://www.planusa.org.

North Shore Animal League

More than one million homeless pets have found loving homes thanks to the efforts of the North Shore Animal League, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption center. Gift-wise, you can sponsor a dog or cat until it is adopted, or make a one-time donation. Check out the possibilities at: http://www.nsalamerica.org.

These are two of thousands of opportunities. You can donate to help Hurricane Katrina victims, give to literacy programs, contribute to research groups looking for a cure for breast cancer, or provide assistance to environmental organizations. For a look at a wide range of charities and effectiveness scorecards, visit http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm. (Remember, too, that your charitable donation may be tax deductible, so it's a real win-win situation.)