’Tis the season to go shopping, often online, for gifts that those near and dear don’t need and most likely don’t want. Remember the excitement of giving what you thought was the perfect gift and then catching the recipient’s forced grin as they uttered a rehearsed “Thanks so much?”

And what about the gifts you’ve received over the years that continue to sit unopened in a closet? Holiday shopping has become a one-click trip to Amazon for a great deal that will arrive effortlessly. Buying gifts for family members often consists of them sending me the Amazon link for the gift they picked out to make sure I’ll get them something they want.

Meaningful gift-giving has become a rarity in a culture where people never seem to have enough time, and the media never stops trying to sell us the “perfect present.” What would happen if we switched our focus to gifts that can make a difference in someone else’s life? Gifts given in the name of those you care about to those who need to be cared for? Gifts to help save our planet? To give someone a fresh start? Gifts that truly keep on giving?

Philanthropic giving is sorely needed today, when so many are unhoused and hungry, when war and climate change have driven people from their homes, when our neighbors are living lives of quiet desperation. And yet, despite how much we bemoan human suffering in today’s troubled world, charitable giving has taken a nosedive, falling by 3.4% last year to $499.3 billion — a 10.5% decrease when adjusted for inflation.

Americans gave 1.7% of their personal disposable income to charity in 2022, the lowest since 1995. Being expected to do more with less is unsustainable for nonprofits whose work literally saves human lives.

Years ago, I presented my daughter with a Hanukkah present that meant more to her than the dolls and games of past Hanukkahs. For a monthly donation to Save the Children, she was given the name of a girl from Mali, including regular updates describing how her donation was being spent. Since that time, donating in honor of my daughter, to organizations that are meaningful to her, has become a regular part of gift-giving. She has also made this tradition her own.

A thank-you note in recognition of a friend’s donation to honor my birthday fills me with gratitude in a way that doesn’t happen with store-bought gifts. Years ago, my daughter’s aunt presented her with a check for her bat mitzvah, instructing her to make it out to an organization of her choice. I have continued to honor her aunt’s memory by adopting her idea.

Donations in lieu of gifts can be given in value-added ways. Contemplating the recipient’s passions and issues of concern when choosing where to donate; including the recipient’s address so that they will receive a personal thank-you; and giving a card to explain the gift (including your reasons for choosing it), all contribute to meaningful gift-giving.

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Younger children appreciate an organization that sends a thank-you gift for a donation. My nephew received a stuffed sloth as a young child from the World Wildlife Fund to say thank you for my donation in his honor. Google “Donations as gifts” for listings of such organizations. However, to be sure your donations aren’t mainly paying for stuffed animals, pens or greeting cards, look to Charity Navigator and Guidestar, which rate nonprofits according to how efficiently they use your dollars.

Donating to smaller, local organizations can amplify your money’s impact. Such organizations depend on local donors to keep their doors open. Whatever issues move you: LGBTQ+ rights, education, hunger, opioid treatment, housing, immigration, saving democracy, climate change, etc., there’s likely to be a local organization anxious to put your dollars to work. Local nonprofits also depend on their neighbors as volunteers and create community by raising funds through charitable events like Safe Passage’s recent Hot Chocolate Run.

Years ago, I hosted an exchange student from Ukraine, who was surprised to learn that Americans donate money to strangers. This was an alien concept in her country. Americans have a proud tradition of charitable giving, but that tradition competes with material culture. Many Americans spend money on a daily latte, an Apple watch, a ticket to see Taylor Swift, or a trip to Disney World, but balk at charitable giving.

To be a philanthropist only requires prioritizing altruism. Whether it’s one dollar or one thousand dollars, the unselfish act of giving to others in need enriches all of us. I can’t think of a better gift for those I love than to honor them with a donation to address the groundswell of human need in our troubled world.

Sara Weinberger of Easthampton is a professor emerita of social work and writes a monthly column. She can be reached at columnists@gazettenet.com.