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Blisstree » LIVE 2010-12-04 05:00:07


But small businesses, while often unable to provide the money-back guarantees and open-ended return policies rewarded by Newsweek, add another kind of value for their shoppers: A local economy boost. The money you spend at a corner shop is far more likely to stay in your … More »

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Charitable Gift-Giving: 10 Nonprofits to Support This Holiday Season (Instead of Buying Presents)


You’re tired. You loathe the commercialization of Christmas. You resent having to buy ugly, plastic things for young cousins you never see. You hate malls. You don’t need or want any more crap. You’re broke. Or, you’re just a nice person who wants to give back. All are valid reasons to eschew traditional holiday gift-giving in favor of making donations to nonprofits in people’s names, and then presenting the recipients with personalized donation notices on Christmas Day. (They’ll probably look and fit better in stockings than under the tree.) Here are ten favorite nonprofit charities we like to support, especially around the holidays — because don’t they deserve your hard-earned cash more than the big box stores? So if you’re on our gift list this holiday season, be prepared to feel altruistic. Because you ain’t getting that iPad from us. … More »

Post from: BlissTree

Charitable Gift-Giving: 10 Nonprofits to Support This Holiday Season (Instead of Buying Presents)

We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom gift cards, and expensive Nikon cameras. (Though we’re perfectly happy not to be stuck with those glittery UGG boots.) But we also think Oprah betrayed her audience a little with these gifts: From beauty products full of chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system to household items that aren’t their equally elegant and eco-friendly functional alternatives, we think the Queen of Talk could have done better.


Blisstree Deputy Editor Briana Rognlin calls Oprah on her recent (and final) two-part Ultimate Favorite Things episodes, from her post: Oprah’s Ultimate Audience Betrayal: 5 “Favorite Things” We Wish She’d Stop Promoting
Post from: BlissTree
We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom … More »

Post from: BlissTree

We’re as jealous as the next person of the altruistic audience members who recieved iPads, $500 Nordstrom gift cards, and expensive Nikon cameras. (Though we’re perfectly happy not to be stuck with those glittery UGG boots.) But we also think Oprah betrayed her audience a little with these gifts: From beauty products full of chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system to household items that aren’t their equally elegant and eco-friendly functional alternatives, we think the Queen of Talk could have done better.

Now, all of a sudden, it’s late November again, and despite my desire for a new pair of boots and a coffee table for my living room, I’m struck by the urge to scrounge up a charitable donation that’s become so well-timed to the holiday season. Am I a bad person for having such inconsistent motivation to help others? Am I the only one who’s so lazy during the other ten months of the year? I’d like to think that everyone else is a better Good Samaritan than I am, but something tells me I’m not unique in my start/stop pattern of giving/non-giving.


– Blisstree Deputy Editor Briana Rognlin on the emotional complexities of wanting to give to the less fortunate around Thanksgiving and Christmas, from her post: Charitable Giving: Are We Holiday Do-Gooders Just Selfishly Easing Our Guilty Consciences?
Post from: BlissTree
Now, all of a sudden, it’s late November again, and despite my … More »

Post from: BlissTree

Now, all of a sudden, it’s late November again, and despite my desire for a new pair of boots and a coffee table for my living room, I’m struck by the urge to scrounge up a charitable donation that’s become so well-timed to the holiday season. Am I a bad person for having such inconsistent motivation to help others? Am I the only one who’s so lazy during the other ten months of the year? I’d like to think that everyone else is a better Good Samaritan than I am, but something tells me I’m not unique in my start/stop pattern of giving/non-giving.

Veterans’ Day Charity: This Holiday Season, Send a Care Package to the Troops


Because it’s Veterans’ Day, we’ve been thinking about ways to show our appreciation and support for U.S. troops at home and abroad. And because the holiday season is almost here, care packages for armed forces members are especially welcome. So we found several organizations that send care packages to deployed soldiers, and how you can help.

1. Give 2 the Troops: There are two ways to give with this nonprofit. You can donate money, which will go toward postage on care packages and special items requested by the troops. Or, you can donate actual items — the most in-demand ones are food and entertainment products like drink mixes, snack bars, and DVDs, or video games. … More »

Post from: BlissTree

Veterans’ Day Charity: This Holiday Season, Send a Care Package to the Troops