Last week I wrote about the new trend of giving back on your brithday, and shared how Alyssa Milano was giving away her 37th birthday to raise money and awareness for a clean water initiative. 

Today is Taylor Swift's turn.  I've become a big fan of Taylor Swift's this year...and not because of the Kanye episode.  I appreciate her singing her own songs, and using lyrics that honestly represents her age.  Also, one of my best friend's brother is actually the basist in her band - and he has spoken so highly of her for several years.  Like her music or not, you have to agree she is just a really impressive young gal. 

And this is even more impressive!! Taylor just celebrated her 20th birthday.  No longer a teen, she hosted a big party in her hometown with a Christmas theme.  Even cooler than the party was that she gave $250,000 away to schools in honor of her birthday and in appreciation for the great year she has had.  The money is being used to help pay for books, supplies, even teacher's salaries.  Simply awesome!  She did have a connection to each school she gave $$ to - stating, "something I wanted to do at the end of this amazing year and especially on my birthday was give back to something I really believe in, which is education."  She goes on to share,  "the schools that I went to and the amazing people I got to learn from really turned me into who I am, and I wanted to give back."

Happy Birthday Taylor.  What an amazing year you have had and thanks for remaining humble and helping others! 

   While people start to talk around the water cooler about the trends of 2009, I have one that tops the "Living by Giving" list -  The "Pay if Forward" birthday wish.  I've seen adults, teens, even little kids jump on this trend, turning their birthday celebrations into an opportunity to help others.  For my 31st birthday this year, I asked for people to donate $31 to Kates Club in lieu of gifts and cards.  Call me trendy if you want, but in the end we raised more than $5,000 for our cause. 

More recently I heard about a group of six teenage girls that are using their 16th birthdays to raise money for their favorite cause.  There will be a dj, fun foods, a dance floor...all the elements of a sweet sixteen, but instead of a gift table there will be a gift basket to collect cash donations. 

You can imagine my excitement when I read that Alyssa Milano was giving away her 37th birthday to help raise awareness and funds for her philanthropic passion: clean water.  Alyssa is someone who I grew up with on tv, and now I feel reconnected to her once again after having read about her birthday wish.  As someone proclaiming she has everything she wants and needs, her wish is simple:  "All I want is to provide life-giving water for 10 communities, 500 families and 2,500 people. In lieu of spending money on a party or presents, I'm asking people to donate to my Charity: Water campaign and help make my wish come true." Three words: Simple. Brilliant. Inspiring.

She shares more in a blog posted on Huffington Post. Read it here.

I'll share my top 10 "Best Giving Trends of 2009" list later this month.