In the Catholic tradition, the idea of giving something up on a Friday - the act of self denial - has always been tied with being generous to those in need.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I was brought up Catholic, and even as a little girl I was affected by the idea of giving back - doing something for the needy, something of significance.
St Paul, in his second letter to Corinth, spells this out further in the important eighth and ninth chapters, where he urges some of the Christian communities to be generous to others so that they may also have the chance to be generous in return.
We went to church every Sunday. I do think it's my duty to give back. That's why I'm involved with St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Coming from a family of preachers, the idea of giving back has been part of my life as long as I can remember.
If you are a Christian, you want to give as much as you can away. It sounds pious, but it's not a duty; it's a kind of joy.
When you give up yourself, that's when you will feel the true spirit of Christmas. And that's giving that's serving others and that's when you feel fulfilled.
I beg people not to accept the seasonal ritual of well-timed charity on Christmas Eve. It's blasphemy.
Giving is just one way of expressing that God has been good to you and will continue to do so through your being good to others.
You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There's another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.
I spend my money on holidays and eating out, and it allows me to be generous.