‘Tis the season.

To start making wish lists. To pull out the snow boots. To decorate the tree.

But there’s one symbol of Christmas that started Monday that many people tend to forget about.

Those people outside of Walmart ringing bells and wearing red aprons. We’ve all seen them and pretended to dig around in our purse or pockets only to coincidentally come up with nothing. Of course, we’ve felt guilty about it and promised ourselves we will donate next time.

Who really has time to take out of their holiday hustle and bustle to pull out a wad of cash to slide into the narrow slot of those red kettles? Well, the answer is — a lot of people do, and a lot more people should and now can.

The Salvation Army has a long-standing tradition of raising money through these volunteers to provide shelter and warm meals for families in need. In 2012, the Salvation Army served 4,263,622 people across the United States during the holidays.

As I listened to the radio this morning, I heard something that made me realize just how easy it is to make a difference. However cliche it is, the opportunities are endless and every penny truly does count. But what I heard really inspired me.

This holiday season, you don’t have to dig around for spare change. You don’t have to avoid eye contact with the bell ringers because you feel guilty about only having a plastic card that you can easily swipe to make your purchase, while those less fortunate don’t.

The Salvation Army has started a program called the Online Red Kettle. It works in the same way the bell ringers at the storefronts do. Except now you can become a volunteer and ring your own virtual bell by starting a kettle and sharing the need via the internet. With an online red kettle, you can raise donations through email and social networking to encourage friends and family to donate to the Salvation Army.

So now, instead of a chore, giving during the holiday season has become a personal challenge.

The Online Red Kettle helps challenge people like you and me to become inspired by the season of giving. It’s a fun way to get your friends and family involved in a cause focused on those in need.

When I heard this on the radio, I started thinking of the possibilities of how we could take advantage of this program. Celebrities have started their own online red kettles and their fans have rallied around to contribute to their end goal–but ultimately to a much greater cause.

As the holiday season approaches, the spirit of giving has transformed from giving gifts and money to giving hope and inspiration, something so easily attainable for all of us. Not just the bell ringers.