By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- This year, why not put an endangered turtle under the tree?
Making a donation to charity has long been a popular alternative to the gift-giving orgy that comes with the holiday season. But now that age of excess has arrived on the charitable front. One stop shopping to save the world. More and more charitable organizations are spearheading gift-giving campaigns around the holidays in response to increased demand, more.
"While donations are becoming increasingly popular for all occasions, the trend is definitely the most profound during the holidays," according to Pamela Hawley, the CEO of UniversalGiving.org in San Francisco, which features links to charitable organizations around the globe that do everything from helping to sustain farming communities to supporting orphanages in Vietnam or Peru. Hawley said UniversalGiving processes 40 to 50 times more gift packages during November and December than any other time of the year.