Give Back, Donate, Take a Gift Along...

If you're heading to Mexico or the Caribbean over the holidays - it's easy to bring along a toy, or baby clothes, or school supplies, and pass them along to kids who need them. Many small charities and schools accept "direct donations", and some resorts make logistics super-simple. Read more about Bringing In-Kind Gifts for Kids.

And for those who've vacationed during the year: now's a good time to remember the hardship that often lies outside the charmed circles of the resorts. Your kids may even have noticed signs of poverty and wanted to help somehow.

Check out some ideas for "giving back" in ways that your kids can easily understand: give to a "Children's Village", for orphaned kids; give an animal -- pig, goat, duck -- that can feed a family. Sponsor a child in the DR, which is such a popular spot for all-inclusive holidays.

• Click for ways to give back that your own kids can easily understand.

*Photo courtesy of The DREAM Project, Dominican Republic.

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