Stop right where you are.

I know from your status update that you’re thinking about going to the mall right now for last minute holiday shopping. I can just about guarantee that if you go through with this plan, the following day will unfold:

The scene outside MacArthur Center RIGHT NOW. (Photo: Mark Marek)

1. Traffic will stress you out.

2. Parking will stress you out.

3. You’ll give yourself a headache trying to find the gift that hits the sweet spot in the Venn diagram between a) what they need b) what they want and c) what will make them love you more.

4. The smell of the Asian barbecue will lure you to the food court. You’ll eat too much. You’ll get sad.

5. In a teriyaki-induced haze you will drive home, crash on the couch, and watch Jersey Shore, giving yourself yet ANOTHER headache pondering whether the show is actually anti Italian-American in some way.

6. Come Christmas, the person won’t even like the gift or use it or love you more.

Which is all a very long-winded way of saying that maybe you should consider making a donation in the loved one’s name rather than go through all this trouble.

It makes all the sense in the world: the person feels good, you feel good, needy people (or animals or plants) get help, and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your corduroy pajamas. Plus, you’ll even get a tax credit (yah greedy bastard.)

Here are a few ideas of local do-gooding types who could use your help:

The organization names are hyperlinks. I tried to make them link directly to their ‘Donate Now’ page. The descriptions are taken from their websites.

Norfolk SPCA They’re a private, no-kill humane society dedicated to fostering the human-animal bond to ensure that every adoptable companion animal finds a home. The organization is a regional leader in cultivating responsible pet ownership through educational outreach, low cost spay/neuter programs and public activism.

ForKids Breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty for families and children; founded by local citizens to shelter families in the Ocean View neighborhood of Norfolk.

Help those that can't always help themselves. (Photo: Doreen Dotto)

Hope House Helps people with developmental disabilities, who want nothing more than to control our own destinies and live in our own communities.

The Dwelling Place The Mission of The Dwelling Place is to provide safe and secure emergency shelter for families in crisis and to assist them in achieving self-sufficiency.

American Red Cross of Southeastern Virginia First and foremost, the Red Cross is humanitarian by nature—reflecting the compassionate character of people here in South Hampton Roads and all across America. The Red Cross exists to preserve life and alleviate suffering. When someone is hurting, whether it’s our neighbor in need of CPR, a person in another town who has lost his home in a tragic fire or a child orphaned by a tsunami, we want to help.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Pollution and other harmful activities degrade the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) fights for strong and effective laws and regulations. CBF also works cooperatively with government, business, and citizens in partnerships to protect and restore the Bay. When necessary, we use legal means to force compliance with existing laws.

Lynnhaven River Now Their goal is a clean and healthy Lynnhaven River.

And some national and international ones:

Beth Uriel (This is Jesse again.) I’ve spent about eight months over the past few years volunteering at Beth Uriel, a home for young men in Cape Town, South Africa. Usually when you see those ads asking for money to help the needy in Africa, you have no idea where the money is really going. (I know, we live in a cynical world.) But I can personally attest that every dollar you donate to Beth Uriel goes to raising these brilliant young men from troubled pasts up into the brilliant grown men that will help to determine the course of that country and that continent.

Giving = Loving = Giving