‘Tis the season

University groups in the Thanksgiving spirit are helping out the communityThe holiday season is approaching, and we’re all feeling those familiar sensations. Stress at prepping for finals before arranging a trip home. The quest to find a perfect Christmas gift for your little brother. And most importantly, the tugging at your heartstrings urging you to get out and give back to your community.

A series of campaigns is hitting campus just in time to satisfy the do-gooder in all of us.

Forgotten Friends is an organization dedicated to raising awareness of animal shelters. With the temperatures dropping, it’s important to remember our four-legged friends.

The organization is hosting a canned food drive on behalf of Clarke County Animal Control as well as classes on adopting pets. It also gave The Red & Black the opportunity to put a photo of an adorable puppy on the front page.

Another group of University students has organized a campaign to properly dispose electronic waste. Throwing your old cell phone in their drop box will earn you the enjoyment of protecting the environment and a tasty snack at East West Bistro.

We also applaud Sigma Delta Tau for presenting Tuesday night’s Greek Grind, which benefitted ugaMIRACLE. We encourage all students to attend future philanthropic events.

You don’t have to wait until the holidays to be a Good Samaritan. But now that the giving season is upon us, giving back is a lot easier.

- Drew Wheatley for the editorial board

Gift-giving time

Tightening your purse strings for this year’s holiday season? Here’s some tipsThe Red & Black’s online poll Tuesday asked students their thoughts on the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Only 19 percent said they “planned to shop more this year,” and that “the tough economy is not bothering them.” In contrast, 74 percent of those who answered claimed feeling the gift-giving burn, and plan to shop less this year or to simply make their gifts. (Seven percent do not celebrate Christmas.) The online results do not accurately reflect the entire student population, but our bet is a majority of University students are dreading shopping.

Be realistic with your money during this holiday season. Can you really afford to buy your significant other that DVD box set of “Lost”? Even so, try lowering the cash requirement for gifts this year. Some of us can’t afford to reciprocate the gesture, and the unbalanced result is guilt-ridden and awkward.

We’re not suggesting knitting 17 scarves in the next few weeks here – who has that kind of free time? Try taking a more creative approach to gift-giving this year, though, and you’ll save significantly. Picture frames, mixed CDs, self-made coupon books and baked goods are all inexpensive and thoughtful.

As the holiday season inches ahead in consumerism each year, it loses a bit of its original, sentimental purpose. Department stores have even already begun playing Christmas music in hopes of inciting sales.

Perhaps this season we can take advantage of a staggering economy by spending less, and consequently remembering what the holidays are all about. Try holding back this Thanksgiving break with credit card swipes and seek out more original gifts.

- Jennifer Paxton for the editorial board