A giving mood.

The holiday season is rife with opportunities to give to those less fortunate, or to support an important cause. While I believe that we should strive to be generous year-round, I'm a take-what-you-can-get kind of gal, so I'll give props to anyone who wants to do their part this winter to make the world a better place.

For starters, you could attend tonight's All-Holiday Blog Celebration at Science Club. Buy a raffle ticket for $5 and support Manna, an organization that focuses on renovating/building affordable homes, educating first-time homebuyers for success, and training them to become community leaders.

If you're not quite ready to jump into a blogger happy hour, no worries--you don't even have to turn away from your computer screen to participate in Light to Unite. Bristol-Meyers Squibb is donating a dollar to AIDS every time someone goes to their website and moves the match to the candle to light it.

For the more politically active (and financially inactive), give Congressman Joe Barton a call and tell him to stop playing political games with the Ryan White CARE Act (more information about the Act can be found here). This legislation, which supports primary and home health care, case management, substance abuse treatment and mental health services, nutritional and housing services, and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, must be reauthorized, and soon.

These are just a few of the many ways you can show your generosity--feel free to share others in the comments or on your own blog. Whether you donate your money or your time, whether you give a little or a lot, you--we--can really make a statement about what holiday spirit truly means.

Happy Friday!