Note: This is the first in an occasional series of posts focusing on ways to celebrate the holidays without spending a lot of money.

I'll be stopping in at Kroger this week to do a little Christmas shopping.

It's not as crazy as it sounds.

The Raleigh Venom women's rugby team will be heading for the national championships soon, and the team is making a final push to fund the trip.

The Venom, part of the Raleigh Rugby Football Club, will play again for the women's Division II championship in the Nov. 11-15 tournament in Mesa, Ariz.

To help the players offset the approximately $12,000 cost of the trip, an announcement from the RRFC Board of Directors said, donations can be made via PayPal on the club's website.

Even if you don’t play baseball, know anybody who plays baseball or
even like baseball, there’s still a good reason to turn out at the
Durham Athletic Park on Wednesday night:

To support the 120 teenage boys who will be playing ball this summer
because parents, businesses and organizations banded together to make
sure there’s a season.

Postponed two days because of Monday’s rain, the season-opening game
of The Long Ball Program will is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. today.

Canstruction teams in the Triangle are collecting donations and have dedicated their engineering tech-fu to designing their can-tastic sculptures.

As you shop for holiday gifts and Toys for Tots contributions or
consider tax-deductible end-of-year donations, don't forget that many
Triangle recreational sports organizations also could use a little help
in tight times.

Your small contribution has great value.
Recreational sports programs help kids learn teamwork and other skills
they will use in the future, and we all know that physical activity
contributes to good health.

The Salvation Army Community Center
is among organizaitons to consider. And don't forget your area YMCAs,
Boys & Girls Clubs and sports-focused nonprofits. Schools, too.