Ah, the pre-Christmas season, that special time of year when people open their hearts and wallets to the world. There’s definitely something about this time of year that sparks generosity, whether it’s the guilt of getting presents or just too much eggnog. But why do we only feel so altruistic in December when the underprivileged, diseased and endangered of the world could use our help all year long?

Anyone who lives on campus probably has already had their hall’s Hand to Heart point person come around and solicit a promise to fill a bag with toys for underprivileged kids. If someone came around in the spring with the same request, I’m willing to bet this charity project would only be about half as successful. These few weeks mark a particular season when it’s OK to give gifts to anyone, be they friend or starving child. Otherwise, it seems all presents must have an accompanying occasion: birthdays, anniversaries, trying to get laid.

This is not to say that charities don’t receive financial support all year round ‘ of course they do. For college students, however, the giving seems seasonally limited (if you don’t believe me, ask yourself when was the last time you bought an impoverished child a toy for no reason). Sure, we give a dollar or two to Katrina funds and maybe buy the occasional candy bar from the kids trying to raise money for new baseball uniforms. Our most substantial contributions are still made from the third Thursday in November to the first of January. Fifty percent of all charitable donations are made from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

College students are poor. We have to fight hard to get beer and book money from our parents, so giving away a substantial amount of the dollars we equate with cans of Keystone may be expecting a bit much.

Since the value of the dollar goes double for college students, many opt to donate their time instead. During December, soup kitchens sometimes actually have to turn volunteers away since everybody’s trying to get in their feel-goods before Christmas Day. January through October, the only way most students will volunteer is if it will look good on their resumes.

There are probably some of you thinking that you consistently contribute to the canned food drives in your dorm or donate to the organizations that rally outside the Library Tower. If they weren’t there actively requesting your attention, though, would you seek them out on your own? People constantly complain that charities are too in-your-face about donations, but it’s hard to believe those people would donate if the aid organizations were not bombarding us with pamphlets, fliers, emails, commercials, etc. People who complain about charitable solicitation are probably those who don’t want to donate (and that’s your right), but that doesn’t mean they should begrudge pandas money to protect their natural habitats. Coincidentally, these are also the people who least like Christmas.

If you planned to donate to an organization for Christmas, don’t think this article is meant to shame or denounce you. Donating to charity at any time of the year, even in December, is a great thing to do. But people are starving, dying, warring and even just dreaming all year round. It sure would be nice if we didn’t just do charity to make ourselves feel better, but to actually help someone.