This week marks the traditional Thanksgiving holiday, a time to give thanks and a precursor to the Christmas holidays for many people. But, this holiday has changed much since I was a child, and my daughter sees it only as time off away from school. The meaning for this holiday season - as well as for many other cultural holidays - has been lost amidst commercialism.

In fact, my family has agreed to nix gift giving this year, as we're getting to the point where we give nothing but gift certificates. In essence, we're trading money over the holidays and the only place that benefits is the U.S. Post Office. But, gift giving is ingrained in my blood, so I had to find an alternative to this "no gift" rule. This year, I was intrigued with the "socially responsible" commercialism cycle; a new brand of marketing that is designed to make you feel grateful about giving your money away.

Granted, many of these businesses are legitimate, and in some cases the majority of your money actually purchases items for individuals in third world countries. But, anyone who gets involved with sending money to organizations for donations must realize that any organization faces expenses and overhead for operations. Plus, since the price of oil is heading ever northward, the value of your dollar as a donation will be spread thinner.

With all that said, a donation in someone else's name makes for a great holiday present, especially if that donation seems to fit that individual's personality. Outside of a donation toward investments, a donation toward making someone else's life a little easier is the next best thing. It surely beats buying toys filled with lead or toxic chemicals.

Additionally, socially responsible gifts are sometimes similar to, but often different than, green or environmental gifts. The "green gift" market has truly become a scheme in some cases, and you can spend way too much money on some items. For example, you can purchase up to ten immunization packages at Project Concern (listed below) or three to four sheep at Oxfam (also listed below) for the same amount of money that you'd spend on pure cotton sheets for yourself or for someone else. That's the difference between "green" and "socially conscious" giving.*

With those thoughts in mind, here are a few suggestions for this year's socially responsible giving list, in alphabetical order and along with the information on whether the gifts are tax deductible or not:

AltGifts: This link will take you directly to the list of charity gifts provided by Alternate Gifts International. You can see immediately at a glance what the project is about and which country will be affected. You can set up a gift registry in your name or in someone else's name. The honoree is provided with a gift card and insert that describes the gift. This agency is a non-profit organization, but I couldn't find information on whether the gifts were tax deductible or not.

Global Giving: Shop by region or by topic, or find projects by category. You can create gift registries, purchase gift certificates for their shops, or learn more about the organizations that are gathered here. Global Giving makes sure the projects they choose satisfy IRS guidelines for international grant making, meet requirements for being tax deductible, and follow the new national guidelines for anti-terrorism.

Novica: This site is for those who cannot stop giving gifts to friends and relatives. If you purchase a gift, why not purchase from artisans around the world who have been given a leg up the commercial ladder through Novica in association with National Geographic? You can also shop at other online venues like One World Projects and Taraluna. These gifts are not tax deductible.

Oxfam Unwrapped: Oxfam has upped the level of socially responsible giving with their humor and gift choices. The process begins with you choosing the amount of money you want to spend, and then choosing an item that you want to purchase for an unknown individual or community. You can choose from outhouses to sheep, and from a can of worms to schoolbooks. At the end, you can send a card to an individual that states what you've given in their name. You can purchase all your gifts at once, and then send cards individually. Plan to take some time for this process, and have your address book at hand. Gifts are tax deductible.

Project Concern: This link will take you directly to the shop, where you can purchase items such as immunizations to orphan housing. You can also purchase Fair Trade gifts, but that shop is currently undergoing renovation. Prices are comparable to other socially responsible giving resources, and once you complete your purchase you can send eCards to your recipients letting them know a life-changing gift has been given in their honor. Gifts are tax deductible.

Out of all the organizations listed above, only Oxfam and Project Concern were rated with four stars at Charity Navigator (although AltGifts was four stars last year, now they're down to three). Charity Navigator is another stop on your way to purchasing socially conscious gifts to your friends and family this year. Charity Navigator breaks down an organization's finances to let you know exactly where your money is going. Plus, they offer alternatives that are similar to each agency that you inquire about.

So, don't let my list sway you in your socially responsible holiday giving. Go out and find your own individual and personalized gifts to hand out this year. Trust me, no matter what you give, you will affect more individuals than the honoree. That's making your money work for you, with gratitude all around.

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin

* There's a caveat to that comparison, especially if the sheets or other items were made with Fair Trade labor instead of in a sweatshop!