Many organizations are just starting to plan for their annual holiday appeals. Instead of sending a revised version of the same letter you send every year, now's the time to focus on your major donors by doing something a little different. Here are just a few inexpensive and creative ideas:

• Deliver a carved pumpkin with a thank you note in it.
• Call your donors, and tell them that you've got something special to drop by their house, and ask when you can catch them at home for a few moments. Take a small group of your program recipients "holiday caroling" and have them each say thank you to the donors for their support.
• Have your service recipients make a special video email that's personally addressed to the donor and send it via email. If you don't have video capability, a hand-made thank you note at Thanksgiving is an amazing touch, too.

You can still send that old stand-by appeal letter, but find a way to personally touch each of your major donors, too, this holiday season.