Your favorite thing about the holidays?

We know. You'll get back to us on that.

Your least favorite? That's easy. It's a toss-up between the shopping (crowds, costs) and the drama (regression, rivalry).

Still, when you consider the alternatives -- not being able to shop or not having a home to return to -- you start to feel pretty lucky.

Twice the Gift is doing its part this season, giving you the opportunity to support non-profits while alleviating some of your problems in the process. The store on the ground level of the IDS building sells products that support local organizations, including beaded animals for Open Arms of MN, ruffled pillows and iPod cases for Minnesota African Women's Association (MAWA) and salad tongs for Smile Network International.

You can also buy Share Cards, which let you donate to one of the 67 organizations and also have a giftable item. Plus, you can see on the website exactly what your donation will provide. For MAWA, $10 buys a weekly bus card for a refugee to attend English classes and $100 pays for a sewing machine for a refugee sewing program.

So you can buy cute holiday gifts and help out the community.

It just might become your new favorite thing about the holidays.

Twice the Gift, IDS, open until Dec. 31. Today (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Thur. (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

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