Giving Tuesday: How You Can Give Back this Holiday

Will donating to charity ever be as popular as shopping during the holiday season?

A partnership of nonprofits hopes so.

For many people, the holiday shopping marathon began on Thanksgiving day, with some national chains opening their doors just hours after the traditional turkey dinner. Then comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, which has morphed into Cyber Week.

Now, there's a new campaign asking you to open your wallet - Giving Tuesday.

The Giving Tuesday Web site says the effort, coming on the heels of days devoted to consumerism, is designed "to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations."

Locally, Hatboro-based Impact Thrift, which also operates stores in Feasterville, Montgomeryville and Norristown is joining the charge. How can you get involved in the effort?

"First donate gently-used items which we will either sell or recycle and then drive around to the front and shop thrift for great treasures and fabulous finds! Give your unwanted items new life and keep them out of landfills while helping us to financially support 16 locally-based charities," according to the nonprofit group's blurb on givingtuesday.org.

The effort includes the Twitter hashtag #GivingTuesday, designed to help spread the word.

What do you think? Can a social media push get people giving more of their money and time to charities during the holiday season?