Weddings: Today, many couples plan socially-conscious weddings down to every last detail, including eco-friendly wedding favors or donating the wedding dress and extra food from the bridal dinner to charity. Rather than receiving gifts, couples can choose to register their wedding at an online charitable donation registry. They name the charities they support and guests can donate online or by mail. For another alternative to the traditional gift registry, couples can register with specific stores to have 8 percent of the proceeds from the purchase of their wedding gifts directed to a charity of their choice. For more information:

• The I Do Foundation www.idofoundation.org
• Just Give www.justgive.org

Also, consider turning your next birthday, bar mitzvah, or confirmation into a charitable event!

Tell all of your friends and family that you would prefer a donation made to charity in lieu of gifts. They’ll appreciate not only your philanthropic spirit, but also not having to think of a gift to buy you.

Other occasions where you can use this concept include:

• Housewarming: an organization that builds houses for the homeless.
• Baby Shower: an organization that researches/treats SIDS or other early childhood diseases.
• Christmas or Hanukkah: an organization that buys gifts for the less fortunate.
• Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Birthday or Confirmation: any organization whose mission supports something the recipient is interested in. For example, if a teenage girl really likes animals, give a gift to a humane society or similar organization in her name. 

In making a gift donation: When making the charitable gift, be sure to write “in honor of” and the name of the recipient and inquire as to whether the organization notifies the honoree of the gift made in his or her honor. If not, send a simple homemade certificate to make the individual aware of the gift. When making a donation, always follow our donor tips and donate to organizations that are accountable to their donors.