I want my kids to be very aware of the world outside their safe little nest. As heartbreaking as it may be, I want them to know that there are many people living with hurt, need, hardship and loss. It isn't always an easy line for a parent to walk--I don't want to heap guilt upon my children (the whole "clean-your-plate-because-of-the-starving-children-in-Africa" routine). I do want them to enjoy what we've been given with thankful hearts. But I believe a healthy awareness of the need around them is good for a child.

Most of my charitable efforts have been animal related. I've been active in animal rescue, especially that of bully breeds like Boxers and Pit Bulls, for years now and my girls have been attending rescue events with me since birth. For me, dogs are so much easier to be giving towards - I'm definitely an animal person and I always have been. Recently, I've been trying to get more active in charities relating to people, mainly children.

This won’t help our struggling retailers much, but this is the year to rethink the traditional holiday gift. In past years, holiday charity happened the old-fashioned way, with Salvation Army bell-ringers jingling and red tin cans jangling. We'd toss the coins into the cans and head into the mall to drop the cash on the counter. But more than ever, I really think this should be a “giving” holiday. Rather than buying stuff for the people who have everything, buy for those who are really in need.

According to the recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article, Americans Rate Charity Gifts a Priority This Holiday Season, a study conducted for World Vision by Harris Interactive found that 84% percent of people surveyed, "would prefer to receive a gift that would benefit someone else rather than a traditional present, such as clothing or electronics."

You probably know by now that BlogHer has joined the DonorsChoose Blogger Challenge for 2008.  To do my part for the cause and as a tribute to my love of handbags, I decided to have a handbag raffle.  For a $10 donation to any one of the very worthy projects on my Megan's Minute Handbag Raffle Giving Page you'll buy yourself an opportunity to win the stylish tote pictured below.  And more importantly, you'll be doing something to help public school students learn.

Three important items caught my eye this week in crafty news: The first is a worthwhile project for some of those quilting scraps you may have: HeartStrings participants make scrappy string quilts for people in a variety of circumstances, from Project Linus to the survivors of the latest disaster. With the weather disasters that have come already this year, this will be a great way to use up some scraps in our stash.

I'm a huge Oprah Winfrey fan, make no mistake about it.  I think she's an inspiration, a role model and done very much more good in the world than bad. But that doesn't mean I won't call her goddess-like butt on the carpet if I think she's messed up.  "Oprah's Big Give" is one of her rare mess ups.

Why is it that we seem to be more generous, more compassionate over the holidays? Do I just notice it more, or are we more likely to extend a hand now than at other times in the calendar? There seems to be almost a longing to help, to see to it that giving is done in the best of ways.

There are three food venues for the BlogHer gatherings in Chicago, and all three have agreed to donate any leftovers that we have from meal or snack functions. The bulk of our donated leftovers will go to The Pacific Gardens Rescue Mission, a well-respected charity that feeds over 2,400 people a day and runs two shelters in town -- one for men and one for women and children. Pacific Gardens has been feeding, clothing and housing the poor since the late 1800's.