It's time to start planning for Buck-a-Hit Day, our annual holiday gift-giving blowout on this blog. This will be our sixth year of doing this, and a most unusual year it is. Given the tanking of the economy, the need for charity has never been greater, and yet people's ability to chip in has never been so lousy. Should be interesting.

Hard times be darned -- we'll still give a buck to charity for everyone who visits here next Wednesday, December 17, up to a limit of $1,000, just like last year. We'll also have a hat out for readers to throw money into, and with any luck our benefactors who have matched reader contributions in past years will be back to do it again. (You folks know who you are; please drop me a line if you can return to that role!)

We'll also run our annual comment contest, in which the reader who leaves the best comment relating to the season (chosen by reader vote) will get to steer part of the contributions to a charity of his or her choice. More details as we get closer.

Last year we raised $4,851.05 on Buck-a-Hit Day. It will be tough getting to that level again this year, but let's hope the spirit of the season makes it happen. Even if you're too broke to donate, all you have to do to participate is show up here again next Wednesday, as early in the day as you can make it. By visiting this site, you'll separate me from a dollar and send it to a good cause.