海角大神

Americans are stocking up on purchases this holiday season, for both themselves and loved ones. On Black Friday, online sales increased 9.1% over 2024, while Cyber Monday buying is expected to go up.

And, despite inflation and economic worries, charitable giving is also projected to rise this year during the annual GivingTuesday campaign. Last year, 36.1 million people in the United States (a little over 10% of the population) donated $3.6 billion on that day alone. GivingTuesday is now marked by local chapters in more than 100 countries.

The movement鈥檚 rapid global spread is testament to the near-universal value of what GivingTuesday co-founder Asha Curran calls 鈥渞adical generosity鈥� 鈥� an altruism she defines as 鈥渉eartfelt, joyful, people-led, and ... rooted in our capacity to care for one another.鈥�

鈥淕enerosity as a value is, like love, a leveler,鈥� Ms. Curran has written. It is demonstrated as 鈥渁n expression of mutuality, solidarity, and reciprocity, not as a benevolence that the haves show to the have-nots.鈥�

According to the 2025 World Giving Report, Africa is the most 鈥済enerous鈥� continent, despite its high poverty levels, with individuals donating an average of 1.54% of their income to charitable and religious causes. In wealthier Europe, that rate is 0.64%, dipping to 0.16% in Japan.

鈥淚t is notable that giving does not necessarily correlate with wealth or even security,鈥� commented Neil Heslop, head of the Charities Aid Foundation, which produced the report.

Differing cultures of giving are influenced by individual perceptions of wealth, self-worth, and security 鈥� as well as by social and religious norms. 鈥淔or so many people 鈥� their treasure is in their wealth,鈥� wrote Elyse Kauffman, a consultant for a faith-based financial services firm, referring to a biblical passage about material riches. 鈥淕iving generously allows us to trust in God鈥檚 provision. And giving to others helps us tangibly practice trusting in God rather than [in] our riches or belongings.鈥�

The correlation of well-being with religious affiliation, social connections, and altruism is well documented. Studies show that happiness or flourishing is often stronger in countries that may be poor, but have deep faith traditions as well as communal approaches to sharing resources 鈥� and solutions.

Sarah Cross, an executive at Stand Together, a philanthropic organization, points to the power of joint action. Together, the millions of small GivingTuesday gifts to nonprofit causes 鈥渃an make a massive combined impact,鈥� she wrote in USA Today this week.

鈥淐ontributing like this is inherently unifying,鈥� Ms. Cross wrote, pushing back against the view that America鈥檚 problems are too big to solve by individuals and communities. 鈥淭he best way to find the meaning we all want is to realize that we can help solve even the most seemingly insurmountable problems.鈥�

鈥淭his Giving Tuesday,鈥� she urged, 鈥渋s the ideal time to recommit ourselves to [this] deeply fulfilling and desperately needed work.鈥�