Lemondrop

When I volunteered for the office's holiday charity drive this year, I figured it'd require buying a cheap present for a needy kid.

I pictured little Johnny eagerly tearing off the wrapping paper from his small but shiny toy truck and beaming with thanks.

So you can imagine my shock when I opened the "Dear Santa" letter at my desk to read that my kid was a teenage girl asking for expensive perfume and body lotion from a name-brand store.

"What!?" I said aloud, attracting the stares of my cube-mates. "I can't afford that." At first, I felt like a first-rate Scrooge. Then I started hearing groans from my co-workers as they read over what their kids had asked for: iPods, video games and designer clothes.

"I don't even have an iPod," said one co-worker.

"Last year, I spent about $60 buying video games for my kid," another said. "It can be a lot."

Click here to see how this trend is affecting charities.

Asking Too Much?
In this economic slump, it's hard enough to do for family and friends this year, let alone strangers. Kids might be recession-proof, but do they -- even the needy ones -- get to be recession-ignorant?

Tami Althoff, a columnist for The Oklahoman, says no. Pleas for pricey presents can hamper holiday helping, she claims.

"I'm not saying children shouldn't be able to ask for a 'want,'" she says. "However, if a laptop computer or an Xbox 360 is on that list, maybe someone should re-evaluate the situation. Not only do outrageous requests take the joy away from those who want to help, it looks bad on the program as well."

Some commenters on the column agreed and said there should be a limit on what these kids can request, while others said children should be able to ask for whatever they want.

Choose With Care
If you want to give to a needy child or family this year but you're strapped for cash, make sure you know what's required of you beforehand. While some gift-giving events randomly assign you to a child, others let you pick the age and gender.

If you don't want any surprises, chose a charity where there is also a limit on what you can spend. Check out this list for more information.

Of course, some charities pluck letters from kids straight from the Post Office's "Dear Santa" pile, so you can't completely blame the kids for aiming for the stars -- nor can you expect a disadvantaged kid to fully understand the price-point etiquette of your charitable intentions. If you encounter a request for a pricier or name-brand gift like I did, you can always substitute it with something less expensive or generic.

Also remember that, in some cases, you may be able to get a tax break for your good deeds. Go to irs.gov and search for IRS Publication 78 to see a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

Lauren Fritsky covers news for Lemondrop.

Tell us: Would you honor an expensive gift request from a needy child? Should there be a limit on what they can ask for?