This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DePauw chapter.

Give what you can and get what you want this year with these easy ways to give back and improve your holiday karma. From everyday ways, like using Facebook and texting to putting your free time to good use by volunteering, these helpful gifts will definitely put you on Santa’s nice list, no matter how naughty you’ve been!

With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to channel that special Christmas spirit and do what we can to make everyone’s holiday part of the most wonderful time of the year. If you’re planning on making a trip to Indy anytime soon to hit up the mall and buy your friends and family a present, stop by any of these locations to drop off food items on behalf of Gleaners Food Bank. They are currently accepting donations at Indy’s Incredible Pizza Company or The Performer’s Warehouse in Indianapolis. Canned food is way less expensive than that pink sweater your sister wanted and much more needed.

If you like baking and can’t stop repining recipes on Pinterest, then put your passion to use and bake a birthday cake for a low-income child via birthdaycakes4free.com. Find a local chapter on the website. Most of the volunteers aren’t professional bakers; they are ordinary people with a flair for baking and helping others. You can make cakes or cupcakes, and make a child’s birthday extra-special.

Remember that one really big storm in New York? What’s her name? Sandy! On October 24, 2012, Hurricane Sandy bombarded New York and affected nearly 23 other states as well as damaging nations in the Caribbean. Relief efforts have been strong but there’s still a lot that can be done to help. Utilize your social media prowess with these simple ways to help. By texting REDCROSS to 90999 you can automatically donate $10 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. On Twitter, Patch Media promised to donate $1 to AmeriCares Sandy Relief Efforts for tweet that includes the hashtag #patchrebuilds. Facebook now allows you to donate to causes through the social network’s gift service. This service was actually launched during the wake of Sandy’s destruction. Anyone who already has access to Facebook Gifts can select the “charitable donations” option and give the gift of charity with a simple click!

Animal lover? Volunteer at your local animal shelter over winter break. Simply being around an animal has been shown to reduce stress, stress that usually peaks around this time of year. Both you and the puppy will benefit from giving him a rub down, starting at the neck and moving down the puppy’s spine in small circular movements. Not only will you relax a dog with this massage, but you’ll also get a boost of pleasure from giving back some of man’s best friend’s unconditional love.

What goes around comes around. By giving, you receive a gift too: a warm satisfaction to keep even the biggest Grinches at bay. And while you might not get everything on your list this year, just remember it’s probably way more than some people ever think of asking for from Santa. Besides, karma lasts much longer than 25 days.

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Give These Gifts to Improve Your Holiday Karma

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