Cutting the Red Ribbon...

I'm a little late on the official ribbon cutting for the holiday season which as of today is in full gear. How many of you went holiday crazy this weekend? I didn't do much shopping but we did bust out the tree, start the decorating and cranked up the holiday tunes! So far this year I'm feeling good about the holiday season, it's not over saturated (yet) and with the economy being as it is there has been less emphasis on all the wants with more attention being paid to cutting back and giving back. Speaking of giving back .... ;)

Today is the 20th annual World Aids Day, a day in which special attention is paid to the global aids epidemic. Day's like this are extremely important in bringing home awareness to issues and causes that may be overlooked throughout the year. Everyone knows about HIV & Aids, everyone knows Bono, everyone has seen (RED) products but how often on a daily basis do we think about the more than 25 million people that have died of AIDS since 1981 or the 33.0 million people currently living with this disease, half of which are children? This day brings those people to the fore front of our minds!

A lot of times when things don't directly involve us people tend to be removed from the issue and have a ho hum attitude towards what their personal role can be in it. You may not have a ton of money to donate or time to spend to this or any cause but there is always something that you personally can and should do to help.

Something as simple as just spreading the word does wonders to keep up awareness and social consciousness, tell a friend, blog about it, add a badge to your website or other site. Above that you could donate to a variety or organizations like these Avert, AIDS Alliance, World Vision or find your own at Charity Navigator.

If your a shopper... check out the awesome products at Join Red, create your own Converse, buy a t-shirt at the gap, or soothe your crusty lips with Kiehls lip balm, send a greeting from Hallmark, ( I use the Hallmark thank you cards and used (RED) gift wrap during my launch party and in other applications around the house) These and many other product's all donate a portion of their sales to AIDS research or aid. If your buying anyway why not buy socially conscious products?