The Thanksgiving holiday tends to get out-shadowed by Black Tuesday, and now Cyber Monday, which is unfortunate. Traditionally, the holiday season is one where families and friends get together to say “thanks” for all of the good fortune that they have in their lives.
The day after Thanksgiving has become a day of frenzied shopping that tends to counter all of the things that we gave thanks to the day before. Cyber Monday is just plain ridiculous, but it’s gaining huge popularity and people are actually buying into the concept in droves.
Fortunately there are many people who have decided to stick to the origins of Thanksgiving, by opting out of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness. Many of those same people have decided to get back to the “giving” traditions rather than participate in the “taking” aspect of the holidays. For those people, there is “Giving Tuesday”, a day that symbolizes all of the reasons that we should be thankful as a community.
On Giving Tuesday, people are asked to think about the area’s non-profits and charitable organizations. By not participating in Black Friday or Cyber Monday, people should have a couple of extra bucks to spare. If you so happen to find yourself with a couple of bucks to give, do so on Giving Tuesday, and let’s make this day as popular (some day) as Black Friday is currently.
Throughout the year, the big box stores make a killing, while the non-profits struggle to stay alive. Let’s change the way that we give our money. Let’s make a difference in our communities by simply deciding that we are going to make a difference this holiday season.
And don’t forget, if you don’t have an extra ten bucks in your purse, then consider giving ten minutes of your time to a charity. There are plenty of ways that you can give without shelling out any money.
To learn more about Giving Tuesday, click here. Also, #GivingTuesday
To see some of the local non-profits that are anticipating your consideration, click here. Buffalo needs a lot more non-profits to sign up at the Giving Tuesday site. Buffalo (as a community) also needs to submit a listing for a comprehensive marketing campaign on the Giving Tuesday USA home page. I’m not sure what umbrella organization needs to do that… maybe the Greater Buffalo Cultural Alliance?
Regardless, you don’t even need a website to direct you where to donate your time or money. Just pick your favorite charity and make a donation on: