This time of year, many of us feel we should reach out to those less fortunate. But the holidays can be hectic and even at times stressful. Online shopping has saved the day for many a harried person, and now the Internet can help us give to charitable organizations just as conveniently and much more creatively.

Auction sites have designed ways for both buyers and sellers to easily donate to charities. Here are some examples. A famous actress might donate lunch with a winning bidder. The proceeds go to the charity selected by the celebrity. This is a great opportunity for the winning bidder, because they know their money is going to a charitable cause, and they get to spend some time with a favorite celebrity.

Another charity-auction model is for sellers to place an item for auction and have the proceeds (or a portion thereof) go directly to charity. The items don't have to be expensive or unique, making this option more accessible to sellers and more affordable to buyers. In February, AuctionBytes wrote about MissionFish, a non-profit auction site that enables this kind of giving. Since then, MissionFish teamed up with eBay, giving charities wider exposure (http://www.ebay.com/givingworks).

Auction site Bid4Assets has a similar program, and when buyers and sellers participate in its Charitable Giving Program, Bid4Assets contributes .25% to the charity, up to $10,000 per auction (http://www.bid4assets.com/NPO).

If you represent a non-profit organization, be sure to sign up for these programs. And you may consider creating your own auction site for fundraising. Auction site ePier creates private-label sites for charities like this one http://www.epier.com/SpecialOlympics. According to ePier, this creates greater recognition for the non-profit organization.

Many charities have their own sites where you can make straightforward donations, either through a credit card or by printing out their address and mailing them a check. But make sure you do your homework before you give to any organization, there are scam "charities" and spoof Web sites. And be wary of all unsolicited emails, even if they say they are from a charity - it could be a hoax.

So if you have something you want to get rid of, consider selling it on an auction site and giving the proceeds to charity. And if you are in the market for something, browse through charity auctions. You might find what you need, and feel even better about your online shopping trip.