But before you ask for more gifts this holiday season, ask yourself "What can I do to give back to others?"

It seems that this time of year has been incalculably commercialized, with people spending more and wanting things they don't actually need.

What if we take this time of year to improve the lives of others, who might significantly benefit from our help or donation?

There are a few great organizations that I plan to support this holiday season and hopefully you too will be inspired to spread the holiday cheer.

December 24, 2007 (Christmas Eve)▪ City Wide Club of Clubs’ Annual Christmas Eve Feast will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center, early morning till about 5 p.m. 35,000 to 40,000 persons are expected to attend. Volunteers will be needed to help with setup and to serve the meals. Shift times are flexible and can be arranged for almost any time between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Volunteers are invited to partake in the meal. Call: City Wide Club of Clubs, (713) 523-1640.

December 25, 2007 (Christmas Day)▪ Holiday Project Christmas Day Visits
Volunteers will bring Christmas cheer to local nursing homes and the VA Hospital. The volunteers will meet at their choice of two available meeting sites: (1) the Volunteer Houston office, at 3033 Chimney Rock, Suite 460 or (2) Heartland Healthcare Center, at 13631 Ardfield, close to Willowbrook Mall . Volunteers will have their choice of 2 meeting times: 9:30 a.m. and 12 noon. The volunteers will be given homemade Christmas cards and cookies to share with the persons they visit, as well as maps to the respective assigned facilities. Minimum age= none, if able to provide own transportation. Contact: Walter Black, 713-964-0229

▪ MAKE GREETING CARDS at home for a program that sponsors volunteer visits to institutional shut-ins on a number of holidays throughout the year. No special skills are required. My friends and I are having a holiday card party. We are all getting together to watch Christmas movies and make holiday cards at the same time. It is Christmas cheer to the power of two! Involvement can be on a one-time, occasional, or ongoing basis. The link for more info is: http://www.volunteerhouston.us/cards/

▪ A bigger Christmas gift (and a New Year's resolution) is signing up to do an endurance sport event with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. You raise money (usually $4,000-$5,000) for blood cancer research during a 6 month period as you train for a marathon, half marathon, triathalon, or bike race. This past October, my friend Sara and I ran the Nike Women's Marathon with Team in Training. We were the youngest girls in the Gulf Coast Chapter and the two of us raised $10,000 combined. Go to www.teamintraining.org for more information.

Also, if you don't have many hours of your time to donate this season, there are some great gifts whose proceeds go to charity.
▪ Ralph Lauren has a line of 'pink pony' t-shirts and polos that are very cute. A percentage of sales from all Pink Pony products supports programs for screening, early diagnosis, treatment and research for breast cancer. Many girls my age (I am 16) love Ralph Lauren. Charity has never looked so good! The link is: http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2470341

▪ Product (RED) is a collaboration of many brands that sell special edition (RED) products. A portion of the sales of these products goes to combating AIDS in Africa. You can get Gap attire, Ipods, Motorola Razors, Giorgio Armani, Converse, and even Itunes edition (RED) products. www.productred.com

▪ MAC has a special seasonal lip gloss compact with 100% of the proceeds going to the MAC Aids Fund. Go to www.Mac.com

▪ A very fashionable thing in high schools this season is the Invisible Children Bracelets. Each different color bracelet represents the face of a different child in Uganda and a different difficulty they have had to overcome. The bracelets are $20 and they have become somewhat of a fashion statement and humanitarian statement at my school. The proceeds go to supporting children in war-torn Uganda. Also, the bracelets are made by women in refugee camps in Uganda. It creates jobs and helps boost the economy. The bracelet truly does come full circle. For more information, go to www.invisiblechildren.com

If you were to do any one of these things, or any other service activity for that matter, I am sure you will not find coal in your stocking on Christmas Day. Always remember, the best gifts are the ones you give. And, many of these gifts are accepted year round. So, don't be a Scrooge, go out and make the world a better place! We all have the potential to be Santa's helpers!

You can go to www.volunteerhouston.org for more service opportunities!